Pro-Life Scientists: Facts You Should Know About FDA-Approved Pfizer Vaccine

Abortion-Derived Cell Lines NOT Used for Production, Some Use in Laboratory Tests

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval for the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.  Scientists and researchers at the Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) have been studying the Pfizer vaccine from a pro-life perspective since March 2020.

“The FDA review focused on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.  CLI’s review focused on the ethics of vaccine production,” noted Dr. David Prentice, CLI vice president and research director.  “Charlotte Lozier Institute’s study of the published science shows that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine does not use abortion-derived cell lines in vaccine production.  However, some post-production laboratory testing of the vaccine did utilize abortion-derived cells.  Whether or not to take a particular vaccine is a deeply personal decision which should be based on the latest science and a careful analysis of the impact on you and those around you.

“There are viable alternatives to the use of abortion-derived cells.  Going forward, CLI will continue to champion the use of these non-controversial, ethical alternatives for all testing of this vaccine and future vaccines.  This is an achievable goal with a focused national effort and industry cooperation.”

Starting in September 2020, CLI has published regularly updated charts detailing whether the leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates, including those supported by Operation Warp Speed, are produced or tested using cell lines derived from abortions.  The eight Warp Speed vaccine candidates evaluated by CLI are those produced by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, Sanofi/GSK, Inovio, and Merck.

To date, over half a million people have reviewed CLI’s vaccine research.

CLI president Charles A. “Chuck” Donovan added:

“We’ve heard some folks object to the COVID-19 vaccine out of fear of being injected with aborted cells.  Based on our research, that is not the case with the Pfizer vaccine, or the Moderna vaccine, neither of which use abortion-derived cell lines in production.

“However, our research does indicate that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were, in some cases, tested using abortion-derived cells, and we acknowledge that for some this creates an issue of conscience, among other reasonable concerns.  We encourage everyone to visit LozierInstitute.org for the latest science, consult with your doctors, and weigh the risks to you, your family, and the community.  We should all strive to make an informed decision based on accurate, ethical science.”

Click here to view CLI’s full analysis of the Pfizer/BioNTech and other COVID-19 vaccines.

Charlotte Lozier Institute was launched in 2011 as the education and research arm of Susan B. Anthony List.  CLI is a hub for research and public policy analysis on some of the most pressing issues facing the United States and nations around the world.  The Institute is named for a feminist physician known for her commitment to the sanctity of human life and equal career and educational opportunities for women. 

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