2006D-0383

Characterization and Qualification of Cell Substrates and Other Biological Starting Materials Used in the Production of Viral Vaccines for the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases

FDA Comment Number :

EC2686

Submitter :

Mrs. Melanie Bettinelli

Date & Time:

12/06/2006 09:12:28

Organization :

Mrs. Melanie Bettinelli

Category :

Individual Consumer

Issue Areas/Comments

GENERAL

I write to express my urgent desire to see alternative vaccines that DO NOT use aborted fetal and embryonic cell lines made available to the public. It is abundantly clear in the FDA guidelines that there are alternatives cell lines and technologies that could be employed for vaccine development other than abortion-derived fetal cell lines. The failure to make these alternative vaccines available classifies those who find ethical problems with the current vaccines (e.g. rubella and chicken pox) as second class citizens who are prevented from obtaining necessary medical care because of their ethical stance. It is an unjust coercion of peoples consciences when vaccines are needed that utilize aborted fetal cell lines. Equally, there is a danger that many people would not submit to immunizations produced in this manner, which could endanger the health and protection of the population as a whole during an outbreak. Thus, it is in the best interest to the population, as well as pharmaceutical companies and government agencies responsibility, to promote the use of non-objectionable sources.

As a citizen and a mother, concerned with both

moral values and the health of my family, I request government intervention to ensure the creation of

vaccines from non-objectionable sources. If these vaccines are made available, people like myself will do all they can to promote awareness of their existence, thus providing an economic basis for pharmaceutical companies to market these morally non-controversial products.

Thank you very much for your consideration of these concerns.