FAKE NEWS: COVID VACCINE CONTAINS ABORTED FETAL FRAGMENTS
Introduction:
Recent videos and articles are circulating the internet warning people not to get the vaccine because it contains aborted fetal cells. Websites have since been taken down; however, the videos and articles are alleging that AstraZeneca’s and Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine contains embryonic kidney tissue in the vaccine itself. Religious leaders from all over are telling people this vaccine is “ morally wrong” and if presented with a choice, to get the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine instead. After much research into this topic, I found that these sites contain fake news and are used to steer people away from the vaccine.
Research Results
After diving deeper into this topic, I was able to find fact-checking sites and articles that debunk this issue. The majority of sites I have come across have given much explanation as to why people are saying this and why they are wrong. According to Snopes, they state that claims like this are “factually inaccurate” and “stem from a misinterpretation of how this and other vaccines are created”. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities all have made asserted their view and moral concern when discussing the vaccine. Conservative groups continue to spread lies about how “ tainted” this vaccine is. Another site says that they’ve seen claims against this vaccine, stating that vaccines contain lung tissue from an aborted fetus. Unfortunately, what we see here is people’s skewed interpretation of how the vaccine is made.
The claim of aborted fetal cells inside our vaccines was easy to combat with factual information from trustworthy sites. BBC and ABC were quick to provide information backed by credible sources such as Dr. Michael Head of the University of Southhampton, where he states “ “There are no fetal cells used in any vaccine production process”. From the spread of fake news, I'm sure many people had been confused and concerned. Those spreading this disinformation failed to understand the process in which the vaccines are created. BBC says “ there is a step in the process of developing a vaccine that uses cells grown in a lab, which are the descendants of embryonic cells that would otherwise have been destroyed…no fetuses were aborted for the purposes of this research.” Another credible source, Dr. David Matthews from Bristol University, informs us that “any traces of cells are comprehensively removed from the vaccine to exceptionally high standards.” Matthews is assuring us that there are, in fact, zero fetal fragments in our vaccine, therefore, not making this an issue of morality.
In addition to this information, Snopes explains exactly what the AstraZeneca vaccine is, how its produced, and why it is produced in that manner. They follow this up with why it is wrong to characterize the cell line as being “aborted fetal tissue” as they provide much detail of the cell line's creation and use. The idea of this vaccine is to train your body’s immune system to produce antibodies. There are several ways they can do this. Pfizer and Moderna use small segments of mRNA that produce a protein found in SARS-CoV-2, then the immune system will create antibodies. Similarly, the AstraZeneca vaccine aims at a particular part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus but uses a genetically modified virus. This vaccine is created with a cell line known as HEK293. The human embryonic kidney cells are used for rapid growth and to multiply the virus which is needed to produce large quantities of the vaccine. However, these cells are only used as a growth medium and are not included in the final product. The material is so broken down within the vaccine it is not recognizable as human tissue. In addition, the HEK293 cell goes through a purification process, both “chemical purification” and “high-tech centrifugation”.
Conclusion:
With many viewpoints and opinions on COVID and the recent vaccine in articles, websites, videos, and social media, it is very important to keep an eye out for the misleading information out there. There is a plethora of fake news, and it is up to us to obtain the correct information. By spending just a little more time to check your facts and research, fake news stories can be proven wrong.
