1/ The mRNA vaccines that are being distributed in this country and the viral vector vaccines from AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson which have yet to be approved for use in Canada do not have any aborted human fetal tissue in them.
In order to mass produce a vaccine against a virus, the virus needs to be replicated. A virus cannot replicate unless it enters into a host's cells. In order to understand how a virus replicates so that you can create technologies for a vaccine, vaccine makers need living cells in which to grow the virus. Using living humans is obviously not an option ( you would have to infect them with the virus) and using other living animals has it concerns and set backs too. So, vaccine makers often use historical fetal cells that have been grown and maintained in labs from two aborted fetuses from the 1960's and 1970's; abortions that were performed electively and by choice of the mother and not for the purpose of vaccine development.
These two cell lines have been grown and maintained for decades in the lab and have been used to develop vaccines that many of us have already received: Hepatitis A, rubella ( in the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine or MMR) and rabies.
Early development of the mRNA technology which started decades ago used fetal cells from cells lines grown in the lab that started from fetal cells discussed above. Pfizer and Moderna used the technology, not the cells. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna do not require the use of any fetal cell lines or fetal tissue of any kind in order to manufacture their vaccines.
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Cell lines grown in the lab from decades old fetal tissue used to create technology that now makes vaccines is a far cry from the direct use of fetal tissue from recent abortions in these vaccines.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were found to be ethically uncontroversial by the pro-life organization the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Further, Brian Kane, senior director of ethics for the Catholic Health Association of the United States, said this, “In terms of the moral principles of being concerned about the use of any pharmaceuticals that were developed from aborted fetuses, that is certainly an issue that we all want to be cognizant of and try to avoid their use. With that in mind, the Pfizer and
Moderna COVID vaccines that are coming out are not even tainted with that moral problem".
So, you are entitled to have a moral concern about taking a vaccine that used technology that used cells grown in a lab that started with two aborted fetuses that were aborted by choice 50 years ago. But to be morally concerned that the mRNA vaccines contains fetal tissue from new abortions is not based in fact at all.
And please, let's not make this a pro-life, pro-choice discussion. I am talking science, not religion or faith or human rights or gender rights or right-winged opinions vs left-winged opinions. Just the science. You can decide for yourself whether there is a moral issue here but base your decision on the science not false information.
2/ The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna have polyethylene glycol as one of their ingredients or PEG for short. PEG does not cause cancer. Ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane is a known human carcinogen ( can cause cancer in humans). Easy to mix up, right? Easy to use to spread mis-information even if unintentionally.
PEG- polyethylene glycol. This is it's chemical structure:
C2H6O2
It is made up of 2 carbon atoms, 6 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms in a really cool configuration held together by things called bonds.
Ethylene Oxide- This is it's chemical structure:
C2H4O
It is made up of 2 carbon atoms, 4 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom. That may not sound like much of a difference and it may not look like much of a difference but from an organic chemistry point of view, a world of difference. Totally, totally different.
PEG does not cause cancer. Ethylene Oxide can.
PEG is an ingredient in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. ETHYLENE OXIDE is not!!
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I think I am ready to take on all of the false information about these vaccines in these posts. If you are hearing information about these vaccines that is causing fear or mistrust, ask your questions in the comments section of these posts or private message me. If I can't reassure you, I will find someone who can.
Anne-Marie
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Guelph Community Foundation has published a series of Vital Briefs that focus on Secondary Pandemic Effects on our health.
The link to the report is: https://www.guelphcf.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=-kDSQDcIjsA%3d&tabid=100.
Food Insecurity, Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Employment, Families and Children.....great info. Please read!
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Thanks so much for this clarification.
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