Bishop Enrique Delgado Thanks Manufacturer of Ethically-Derived Vaccine

The only vaccines readily available in the U.S. for some contagious diseases (e.g. rubella and hepatitis A) have been manufactured using fetal tissue from induced abortions. This has created a problem of conscience for many Catholics. As recommended by the Pontifical Academy for Life in 2005, a long-term solution lies in working to ensure that future vaccines and other medicines are not developed in cooperation with practices that demean human life. This applies to products based on abortion, as well as to projected therapies from destruction of human embryos for their stem cells. 
 
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new vaccine called Shingrix that is not derived from cell lines from elective abortion. This vaccine was manufactured by the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for the prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) and related complications. The availability of this new, ethically-derived vaccine is a significant development for building a culture of life in the U.S.
 
Bishop Enrique Delgado, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami and FCCB moderator for Health, sent a letter to Patrick Desbiens, Senior Vice President for U.S. vaccines with GSK, thanking him and GSK for the development of the new vaccine and encouraging the future development of other ethically-derived vaccines and medicines.