That Others May Live: Fetal Cell Lines and Vaccine Production

January 29th, 2021 | 6 min read

The world breathed a collective sigh of relief at news that multiple vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 were found to be effective. No sooner had this news reached us before there was a moral greaseball gumming up the ethical works: Some of the vaccines were developed using cell lines originally derived from aborted children. For Christians who want to respect and cherish life, the use of cell lines taken from aborted children is a problem that must be addressed. This brief essay will discuss the ethical issues involved and argue for a way forward that allows us to honor the gift of life that God has given us.

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Matthew Loftus

Matthew grew up in a family of 15 children and completed his medical training in Baltimore, Maryland. Since 2015, he and his family have lived in East Africa, where he currently teaches and practices Family Medicine at a mission hospital. His work has appeared in outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Atlantis, and Mere Orthodoxy and his first book is forthcoming from InterVarsity Press. You can learn more about his work and writing at www.matthewandmaggie.org and preorder his forthcoming book here: https://www.ivpress.com/resisting-therapy-culture

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That Others May Live: Fetal Cell Lines and Vaccine Production

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