Confused about the ethical questions related to vaccines?  Below are a series of links, in chronological order within each section, that explore what the ethical issues are, and how to resolve them (if they can be resolved at this time).

Medical / Science side:

COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates and Abortion-Derived Cell Lines (December 14, 2020):
https://lozierinstitute.org/update-covid-19-vaccine-candidates-and-abortion-derived-cell-lines/


Backgrounders /Summaries / Briefings:

Vaccines Prepared from Cells Derived from Aborted Human Fetuses - A Statement of the Catholic Medical Association (May 2006?):
https://mycatholicdoctor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/cmastatement.pdf

NCBC - FAQ on the use of vaccines (2019):
https://www.ncbcenter.org/resources-and-statements-cms/faq-on-the-use-of-vaccines?rq=FAQ%20on%20Vaccines

Measles, Mumps, and Religious Freedom: Mandatory Vaccination and the Limits of Parental Rights (JUNE 23, 2019):
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2019/06/53277/

It’s Unethical to Use Fetal Tissue in COVID-19 Research (APRIL 22, 2020):
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/04/62734/

COVID-19 Vaccines and Use of Foetal Cell-lines (April 27, 2020):
http://www.bioethics.org.uk/images/user/covidbriefing2.pdf

Moral Guidance on Using COVID-19 Vaccines Developed with Human Fetal Cell Lines (MAY 26, 2020):
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/05/63752/

Research Using Cells of Illicit Origin and Vaccines from Fetal Tissue (MAY 27, 2020):
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/05/63447/

Ethical Principles for the Just Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine (AUGUST 31, 2020):
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/08/70219/

Clarifying Fetal Tissue Policy Contradictions (OCTOBER 28, 2020):
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/10/72350/

The FAQs: Are Fetal Cells Being Used in COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments? (NOVEMBER 18, 2020):
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-faqs-fetal-cells-covid-19-vaccines-treatments/

The Catholic Answer to Vaccines (December 1, 2020):
https://mycatholicdoctor.com/our-services/vaccines/

Points to Consider on the Use of COVID-19 Vaccines (December 8, 2020):
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e3ada1a6a2e8d6a131d1dcd/t/5fd3ce39e679895094dd1e49/1607716409962/NCBCVaccineStatementFINAL.pdf

Moral Guidance on Covid-19 Vaccines (Diocese of Spokane):
https://www.dioceseofspokane.org/guidance-on-covid-19-vaccines

A Deeper Dive Into Catholic Bioethics and Vaccines (Diocese of Spokane):
https://www.dioceseofspokane.org/more-covid-19-vaccine-ethics

Articles in Favor of Moral Permissibility of Using Certain Vaccines:

Is Receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Ethical? (NOVEMBER 15, 2020):
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/11/72753/

Vaccines and Doubly Remote Cooperation in Evil (NOVEMBER 22, 2020):
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/11/72866/

Why We Plan to Get Vaccinated: A Christian Moral Perspective (DECEMBER 8, 2020):
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/12/73110/

12 Things Less Remote Cooperation in Evil Than COVID Vaccines (DECEMBER 18, 2020):
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/throughcatholiclenses/2020/12/12-things-less-remote-cooperation-in-evil-than-covid-vaccines/

A corrective to the Schneider statement (see below in Articles Against) on the COVID vaccines (DECEMBER 18, 2020):
https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/corrective-to-schneider-statement-on-covid-vaccines/

The Morality of the COVID-19 Vaccines (December 24, 2020):
https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/the-morality-of-the-covid-19-vaccines

Articles Against:

Measuring Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine: Now’s the Time to Press Hard for Ethical Options (November 20, 2020):
https://www.ncregister.com/news/measuring-moderna-s-covid-19-vaccine-now-s-the-time-to-press-hard-for-ethical-options

Covid Vaccines: ‘The Ends Cannot Justify the Means’, by Bishop Athanasius Schneider (December 11, 2020):
https://www.crisismagazine.com/2020/covid-vaccines-the-ends-cannot-justify-the-means


Church Documents:

CDF - Donum Vitae (1987)
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html

Pontifical Academy of Life - Moral Reflections on Vaccines Prepared from Cells Derived from Aborted Human Foetuses (2005)
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=6539  

CDF - Dignitas Personae (2008)
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20081208_dignitas-personae_en.html

USCCB - Conscience Exemption for Vaccines based on Fetal Tissue from Abortions (2015):
https://mycatholicdoctor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Vaccines-Conscience-Exemption-updated-April-2015.pdf

Pontifical Academy of Life - Note on Italian vaccine issue (2017)
http://www.academyforlife.va/content/pav/en/the-academy/activity-academy/note-vaccini.html  

USCCB memo (November 20, 2020):  
https://www.usccb.org/resources/memo-to-bishops-on-vaccines-for-covid-19.pdf

Cardinal DiNardo - On the Moral Permissibility of Recently Announced Vaccines for COVID-19 (DECEMBER 8, 2020):
https://www.archgh.org/news-events/news/cardinals-corner/cardinals-corner/on-the-moral-permissibility-of-recently-announced-vaccines-for-covid-19/

USCCB - MORAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE NEW COVID-19 VACCINES (December 11, 2020):
https://www.usccb.org/moral-considerations-covid-vaccines

CDF - Note on the morality of using some anti-Covid-19 vaccines (December 21, 2020):
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20201221_nota-vaccini-anticovid_en.html

updated 2-1-2021/jwk