Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by Aditi Gangal
Quick Take
A social media video claims that AstraZeneca vaccine use aborted fetus cells. We fact-checked and based on available evidence found the claim to be Mostly False.
The Claim
Through a Facebook video, a person claims that the AstraZeneca vaccine, known as the Vaxzevria contains Human Embryo Kidney cells (HEK-293 cells) from an aborted fetus.
We have attached a screenshot of how the post looks at the time of publishing.
Fact Check
Does the AstraZeneca vaccine contain aborted fetus cells?
Not exactly. The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine named Vaxzevria does not contain aborted fetus cells. The vaccine uses a viral vector, which is a virus from the adenovirus family that carries the genetic material for the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The vaccine does not list Human Embryo Kidney cells (HEK-293 cells) as active or inactive ingredients. On the contrary, the HEK-293 cell line is an important part of the manufacturing process, as written in a public information document of this vaccine.
Our research shows that the AstraZeneca vaccine was made using a cell line called HEK-293 from fetal kidney cells in 1973. Over time, these cells have been significantly altered and made immortal. These modified cells are used to speed up vaccine production. The HEK-293 cell line is a widely used tool in scientific research and is used in the production of many other vaccines and medications besides the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Similar cell lines have been used in making vaccines for diseases like rabies, hepatitis A, chickenpox, and shingles.
HEK-293 cell line does not contain any fetal tissue or DNA. Therefore, the AstraZeneca vaccine itself does not contain any aborted fetal cells.
The distant origin of the HEK-293 cell line in aborted fetal tissue remains a concern for some people. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to get the AstraZeneca vaccine is a personal one.
THIP MEDIA conducted fact-checks on various assertions related to cell lines. We debunked the claim that mRNA COVID vaccines alter DNA. We also refuted the notion of Pepsi containing aborted fetal cells. Lastly, we dispelled the myth of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine permanently altering DNA.
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