Bristol, Tenn.—March 2, 2021— The 20,000-member Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), which is the nation’s largest faith-based healthcare organization, today announced the release of a joint statement in support of vaccines and conscience protection. CMDA joins in this statement with the American College of Pediatricians, the Catholic Medical Association and the National Association of Catholic Nurses, USA.

In response to the ongoing distribution of vaccines for COVID-19, the statement recognizes the highest priority is the vaccination of those at greatest medical risk and those directly involved in the care of the sick. It also stresses the need to respect an individual’s right to accept or decline a vaccine. “There is no justifiable moral obligation to accept vaccination,” the statement reads. “If a vaccine has been developed, tested, or produced with technology that an individual deems morally unacceptable, such as the use of abortion-derived fetal cell lines, vaccine refusal is morally acceptable.”

As a group, the four organizations agree that the protection of First Amendment rights is imperative and fundamental.  “Coerced vaccination would irreparably harm Constitutional rights and the patient-physician relationship,” it says. “Conscience is an individual belief influenced by many factors such as faith, culture, family, and reason. Each individual makes a conscientious decision in any given situation. Respect for conscience rights is always of primary importance.”

The statement continues by saying, “It is long overdue for researchers to abandon the use of abortion-derived cells. When all approved vaccines are fully ethical, from development to production, our physician-led organizations and like-minded Americans will no longer question their use.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged our nation for over a year. It has brought to light new challenges regarding disease management as well as threats to individual liberties. The guarantee of ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ includes the right to make individual health care decisions while taking into account our responsibility for the common good.”

To access the full joint statement, click here or visit www.cmda.org/coronavirus. For more information about CMDA, visit www.cmda.org.