LAUSR

Many persons with religious convictions report hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccines, in part due to ethical concerns that fetal cell lines are used in the development of certain vaccines. The issue of abortion is contentious and, given the potential impact on COVID-19 vaccination, it is important for clinicians to be aware of this issue, whatever their personal beliefs. I provide four responses that clinicians may offer their patients: 1) Ethical analyses of moral complicity and COVID vaccines. 2) Altruism and protecting others from a virus that is often transmitted while asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic. 3) Religious texts and many religious leaders support prevention and, therefore, vaccination. 4) Administration of vaccines not developed in fetal cell lines. Although I wish for all my patients to be vaccinated, I respect their autonomy to make the choice to be or not to be vaccinated and understand that many have a deep regard for fetal life. Background: Many persons with religious convictions report hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccines. A Pew Research Survey conducted in February 2021 found that 36% of Protestants and 22% of Catholics are unwilling to be vaccinated; subgroup analyses found that 45% of white evangelicals and 33% of black Protestants are unwilling[1]. Although many reasons underlie this hesitancy, one area of reported concerns is that receiving such vaccines implicates the recipient with cooperation with abortion. The issue of abortion is contentious and, given the potential impact on COVID-19 vaccination, it is important for clinicians to be aware of this issue, whatever their personal beliefs.