by Conduit For Action
The Conway Regional Health System (CRHS) told its employees if an employee requests a religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination due to fetal cells being used in the vaccine’s development, then the employee must attest that they do not and will not take any of a long list of medicines ranging from aspirins to Pepto-Bismol. Why? Because fetal cells have been used in the testing of those medicines.
Here is their list of some of the medicines using fetal cells in testing or development.
Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, Aspirin, Tums, Lipitor, Senokot, Xigris, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Maalox, Simvastatin, Ex-Lax, Zocor, Zostavax, HIV-1, Tylenol Cold & Flu, Benadryl, Sudafed, Albuterol, Preparation H, Enbrel, MMR Vaccine, Acetaminophen, Claritin , Zoloft , Suphedrine , Prilosec OTC, Azithromycin, Varilrix, Havrix.
Here is a link to their full announcement to their employees.
OUR FIRST REACTION upon reading the list is one of shock and disgust! The practice of using fetal cells in the pharmaceutical industry is far beyond what we realized. It has become the norm in the industry.
Aspirins are on the list even though aspirins have been in use since at least 1829 (192 years). Pepto-Bismol got its name in 1919 (102 years) and it, too, is on the list. Yet apparently in recent years drug companies have decided “hey we have fetal cells, let’s use them for testing even on our medicines that have been around for 100 years.”
It is as if big pharma decided – we’ll show those anti-abortion people a thing or two, we will use fetal cells in everything and they will have to shut up.
BECOMING HIGH PRIEST FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES?
In essence Conway Regional Health System has declared itself to be the high priest of its employees’ religious beliefs!
Take an aspirin and CRHS declares – your religious beliefs are invalid and therefore you can’t object to the use of fetal cells in the COVID-19 vaccine.
Is CRHS the only company to impose such a religious test? If it is, it won’t be if it is not challenged here and now.
This religious test has implications far beyond just the COVID-19 vaccine.
Consider this, the test they use says your religious belief against using fetal cells is invalid if you take any medicine on the list. If that test is let stand, then by implication your religious objection to abortion itself would also be invalid in their view if you take even one aspirin or one Pepto-Bismol tablet.
WILL THE LEGISLATURE PROTECT WORKERS?
In recent years the Arkansas legislature has worked hard to advance pro-life legislation and legislation to protect religious beliefs. BUT will your state Senator and state Representative stand up again for religious conscience and pro-life values by telling companies they cannot use such a religious test to decide whether an employee’s religious beliefs are valid?
In its extended session which begins September 29, the legislature can consider legislation on COVID-19 related subjects such as this. (See September Legislative Session Issues and More on COVID and Extended Session)
