Many viral vaccines were developed and are still manufactured using cell strains derived from aborted fetuses.  This information is not widely known among parents, healthcare professionals and government officials alike.  Moral objections are often met with claims that only a few fetuses were used over 30 years ago and that no further fetal cell strains are needed now or in the future.  This information kit will outline the facts that refute those claims and help parents and others to not only raise objections, but also seek ethically produced alternatives where available.  The scope of fetal cell use is growing so rapidly in the pursuit of advances in health and biotechnology, that this issue will soon affect almost everyone, not only parents of young children or other vaccine users.  This is not an issue that will quietly go away if only we ignore it for awhile.

LifeCanada’s mandate includes providing the public with life-respecting and life-promoting education.  Therefore the discussion of vaccines in this information kit will be limited to how life has been exploited in the production of viral vaccines, and what can be done to counter this.  It is not the purpose of this information kit to downplay the achievements of vaccines in reducing suffering and disease for many world-wide, or to discuss vaccine safety.  It is meant to equip concerned individuals with the information necessary to make informed decisions in regards to the use of certain viral vaccines. 

Parents are responsible for the decisions they make in the care of their children, and in regards to this issue they are faced with a tough dilemma.  While vaccination is strongly encouraged, parents are urged to make their objections clearly known to their health care providers and governments.  Only then will ethical alternatives be made available.  Parents should note that Pentacel, a commonly used childhood vaccine made using aborted fetal cell strains, will soon be replaced with one of two ethical alternatives.  All the provinces except Quebec have decided to replace Pentacel with Pediacel, with some provinces making the switch as early as October, 2007.  Quebec is also expected to purchase Pediacel when it secures its new vaccine contract.  Another ethical alternative to Pentacel that may be made available at a later date is Infanrix (GlaxoSmithKline).  However, ethical alternatives are not available in Canada for many other vaccines.

It is in the best interest of governments to provide their citizens with vaccines that can be used with a clear conscience, as the success of immunization is based on its wide-spread use.  Strong objections to aborted fetal tissue-derived vaccines will encourage governments to purchase ethically produced vaccines and encourage pharmaceutical companies to renew their production.  Pharmaceutical companies will produce products based on demand, so our requests to governments must be very clear.   

The contents of the information kit are to be used to that end.  This material is for wide distribution.  Present it when discussing your concerns with your doctors and public health personnel.  Use the sample letter to make your concerns known to provincial governments, or use it as a guide to compose your own.  Contact information has been provided.