New Flu Vaccine to use Cancer-Potential Aborted Fetal Cell Line

For Immediate Release August 12, 2002

Med-Immune Inc. To Produce New Flu Vaccine Using Cancer-Potential Aborted Fetal Cell Line PER C6

(Clearwater, FL)  For the second time in less than 30 days, Children of God for Life announced it has discovered plans to use the Crucell, NV aborted fetal cell line PER C6 in yet another new vaccine.  The vaccine will be developed by Med-Immune Inc., a pharmaceutical company based in Gaithersburg, MD, for protecting against influenza.

On July 19^th Children of God for Life disclosed the findings that new Ebola and HIV vaccines are also under development using PER C6, a fetal cell line created using the retinal tissue from an 18 week gestation aborted baby. According to Dr. Van der Eb from Crucell, , “PER C6 was made just for the pharmaceutical manufacturing of adenovirus vectors.”  He adds, “I realize that this sounds a bit commercial, but PER C6 were made for that particular purpose.”

For years, the pharmaceutical companies have stated that the existing fetal cell lines used in many of today’s vaccines would be sufficient since the cell lines were supposed to be immortal.  However, that is not the case and the newest PER C6 cell line does possess the potential of immortality, but only because it introduces the possibility of carcinogenics into the cell line.  According to the FDA report:

“Since cell lines such as 293 and PER.C6 express the Ad5, vectors of this type are thought to have significant potential for vaccine development because of their demonstrated ability to generate cell-mediated immune responses to HIV. However, a feature of regulatory importance associated with Ad5-transformed cells is their capacity to form tumors in immuno-deficient animals such as nude mice. Factors that could influence the risk associated with the use of Designer Cell Substrates include (1) the known mechanism of cell transformation leading to the development of tumorigenic cells; (2) residual cell substrate DNA; and (3) the presence of adventitious agents, especially oncogenic viruses.”

“Not only are the new vaccines under development an affront to those who oppose abortion and fetal tissue research, they are also potentially deadly,” said Children of God for Life Director, Debi Vinnedge.  “Why would anyone who learns the truth about these vaccines want to use them especially when there are ethical alternatives on the market right now?”

Letters are once again being sent to the Department of Health & Human Services, the CDC and FDA to protest this latest development.  Addresses are as follows:

NOTE: THE EXISTING FLU VACCINES SUCH AS FLUVIRIN AND FLUSHIELD UTILIZE CHICK EMBRYO – NOT ABORTED FETAL TISSUE.

Read Med-Immune/Crucell Press Release:  http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020529/lnw004_2.html

Read the FDA Report on PER C6: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/01/briefing/3750b1_01.htm