Were Moderna & Pfizer’s HEK293 Tests Immoral?

Last updated on: December 7, 2021 at 9:54 am by Fr. Matthew P. Schneider, LC

Were Moderna & Pfizer’s HEK293 Tests Immoral? 2021-12-07T09:54:13-05:00 Fr. Matthew P. Schneider, LC

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Much of the Catholic discussion around the ethics of vaccines has focused on the remote connection with abortion. There has been an implicit assumption that all testing on HEK-293 is unethical. But as not all remote cooperation with evil is immoral. Thus, we need to ask if the tests Moderna and Pfizer did on HEK-293 were immoral on the part of the companies & scientists. I don’t think there is a clear definitive answer but I will give principles to judge it.

To analyze this I will explain relevant moral principles then analyze the tests using the same principles in the same order.

Moral Principles of Double-Effect & Remote Cooperation / Appropriation

Modern & Pfizer vaccines (Marco Verch CC BY 2.0)

Remote cooperation is an extension of the principle of double-effect. To understand it, we need to understand the three parts of any moral action. Then we can look at where double-effect fits into moral action.

Three Parts of the Moral Act

The three parts of any action are the object, the end, and the circumstances. The first two must always be 100% good or neutral but, in modern society, circumstances almost always have some imperfection if pushed.

The object is what we choose in choosing the action. It answers questions like what or how. For example, my object right now is writing a blog post on my computer. In Veritatis Splendor 78, John Paul II said: “The morality of the human act depends primarily and fundamentally on the ‘object’ rationally chosen by the deliberate will.”
The end is the goal one is seeking in an action. It answers questions like why or for what end. For example, my end right now is explaining Catholic moral theology to fellow Catholics.
Circumstances are a little more complicated as they tend not to be as monolithic. They include questions, like when, where, with what tools, under what direction, etc. I’m writing this in my room in my community house, using the laptop assigned to me, after finishing a part of my doctoral thesis with permission from my superiors to write such things online, etc.) Certain circumstances can be sufficient to make an act immoral, but most don’t corrupt the whole act. Often circumstances are imperfect but the act is still clearly good. For example, I know this laptop almost definitely has rare earth metal from illicit sources in it, but given every other aspect of the act is good, this does not corrupt the whole act. If even super minor imperfections like that corrupted an act, there would be no way to act morally while living in modern society.

This is continued on FrMatthewLC.com.

Previous Post

December 2, 2021

Australian Bishops Want Us to Include Those with Disabilities

Next Post

December 10, 2021 Aquinas: Some Sins Worse Than Sexual Sins

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Autism Bioethics Book Review Business and Economics Catholic Social Teaching Culture Diocesan Life Disability Discipleship Euthanasia Family Life Genetics Global Politics History Immigration Inspiration Interview Liturgy Moral Theology My Life News Analysis Original Articles Prayer Privacy Pro-Life Science Sexual orientation or identity Social Media Sports Technology Theology Uncategorized US Politics Vatican

Select a Month March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz