Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 196 : New Cures from Embryonic Stem Cells?

Receiving a diabetes treatment produced with embryonic stem cells signals a willingness on our part to tolerate the killing of younger human beings in order to benefit others who are older.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationOctober 29, 2021Abortion, Cooperation in Evil, COVID-19, Embryos, Fetal Tissue Harvesting, Stem Cell Research, Vaccines and Vaccination

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 190 : Vaccine Mandates and Catholic Colleges

Instead of imposing the requirement to get vaccinated, leaders would do better to share and explain to students the benefits and risks of vaccinations — scientific and ethical — to help them decide.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationApril 30, 2021COVID-19, Vaccines and Vaccination, Conscience Rights

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 189 : Countering Catholic Misinformation About Vaccines

But Catholics have to be on guard against anti-science prophets, no matter how well meaning, and the false witness they bear.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationMarch 31, 2021COVID-19, Vaccines and Vaccination, Abortion

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 188 : Should We Take Whatever Vaccine is Offered?

These considerations show us how it is important not to gloss over the distinctions among various COVID-19 vaccines.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationFebruary 26, 2021COVID-19, Vaccines and Vaccination

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 186 : Vaccines and Other Entanglements with Abortion

I’m often asked whether sample letters are available to help with writing to vaccine manufacturers who use abortion-derived cell lines.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationDecember 30, 2020COVID-19, Vaccines and Vaccination, Abortion

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 185 : Must Catholics Refuse a COVID-19 Vaccine Made with a Cell Line from an Abortion?

If we end up facing a choice among multiple COVID-19 vaccines of similar or equal safety and efficacy, as appears likely, it will clearly be preferable to choose alternatives with a better ethical profile.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationNovember 30, 2020COVID-19, Vaccines and Vaccination, Conscience, Abortion

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 184: Should I Get Vaccinated?

When a vaccine is determined to be safe and effective, it will often make sense for healthy individuals to choose, on their own initiative, to get immunized.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationOctober 30, 2020COVID-19, Vaccines and Vaccination, Conscience Rights, Fetal Tissue Harvesting

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 183: Is Mandating a COVID-19 Vaccine Ethical?

Coercion through a universal vaccine mandate raises ethical concerns, especially when appropriate exemptions are unavailable.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationSeptember 30, 2020COVID-19, Vaccines and Vaccination, Conscience and Civil Liberties

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 182: COVID-19 Vaccine Myths

…we shouldn’t argue against vaccines in ways that make neither ethical nor scientific sense.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationAugust 28, 2020Vaccines and Vaccination, COVID-19

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 179: Spiritual Lessons from the Pandemic

While scientists may promise new treatments, and politicians may promise safety through contact tracing and lockdowns, these measures are stopgaps in the face of our larger human questions.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationMay 30, 2020COVID-19, Suffering

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 178: Accelerating Vaccine Development

Vaccines are real “game changers” in public health. As a society, we must continue to insist that vaccine development and production be held to the highest ethical standards.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationApril 30, 2020COVID-19, Vaccines and Vaccination, Research Ethics, Fetal Tissue Harvesting, Research

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 177: Thinking Through the Rationing of Ventilators

When ventilators are in short supply, several key ethical principles can assist clinicians.

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationMarch 30, 2020COVID-19, Ventilators, Death and Dying, End-of-Life Issues, Proportionate and Disproportionate Means

“Making Sense of Bioethics” CMS