For Immediate Release
January 12, 2007

Physicians applaud Alberta's decision to provide alternative to ethically controversial childhood vaccine
 
(OTTAWA, Jan. 12, 2007) - In response to our campaign for an alternative to vaccines derived from aborted fetal tissue, Canadian Physicians for Life has received a letter from Alberta Health and Wellness confirming that the Alberta Government will make Pediacel available in publicly funded immunization programs after March 2007. 

Until this announcement, the only combined infant vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus B) available to Canadian parents was Pentacel, which is partly derived from a cell line created from aborted fetal tissue. Pediacel (same diseases) is not derived from fetal tissue. Pentacel has been publicly funded in the regular childhood vaccination programs.

In November, Canadian Physicians for Life sent a letter to each provincial health minister and the federal health minister, requesting that a choice between Pentacel and Pediacel be provided to parents who are morally troubled by the origins of the Pentacel vaccine.

Canadian Physicians for Life applauds Alberta's decision to provide an alternative to the ethically controversial Pentacel vaccine and requests other provinces to follow Alberta's lead in providing a choice to Canadian parents.

View the letter from Alberta Health and Wellness

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For more information contact:

Rene Leiva, MD
Canadian Physicians for Life
rene.leiva@mail.mcgill.ca