A Fatwa issued by the Supreme Religious Authority Office permitting the use of Coronavirus vaccines licensed by specialized doctors.

Today, Monday (11 Jumada II 1442 AH) corresponding to (January 25, 2021), the Supreme Religious Authority Office issued a Fatwa on the use of Corona pandemic vaccines produced by a number of companies. The questions were submitted by a group from London as follows:

While we pray God Almighty to give the good health and long life to the supreme religious authority; His Eminence Sayed Al-Sistani, we ask His Eminence to guide us on the following issues pertaining to the Coronavirus vaccine:

Question 1: Vaccines against Coronavirus have already been manufactured by Pfizer, AstraZeneca & Moderna, and others are expected, or already on the market. The medical authorities of several countries have approved these vaccines and authorised mass vaccination programmes, despite some side effects. Some followers [muqallideen] are apprehensive about the vaccines’ potential side effects, as the testing & approval processes were expedited by the authorities, given the urgency of the pandemic.

Some ethnic groups, based on previous negative experiences with mass vaccination programmes, are sceptical about these vaccines, although no serious side-effects have been observed in most cases. In such circumstances, what does His Eminence advise?

Question 2: Governments have set up prioritisation programmes, so that high-risk groups are vaccinated first. This includes, the elderly, public safety officials and others at significant risk. Is it necessary to observe this prioritisation program, or is it permissible to jump the queue by paying money and get vaccinated earlier?

Question 3: Some developing countries may not have the financial means to procure and make available vaccines for all their citizens. If doctors recommend taking the vaccine, and if private funds do not suffice to procure, distribute and administer the vaccines, would His Eminence grant permission to use religious funds for this purpose?

Question 4: If a vaccine manufacturer appeals for volunteers to participate in trials for vaccine efficacy and safety, can believers join the trial if the manufacturer gives assurance of careful monitoring and caution for the safety of the volunteers, though there may be risk of unexpected side-effects, which in some cases could be lethal?

Question 5: In order to stabilize the vaccine, manufacturers use several additives. Sometimes this can include porcine gelatine. Is it sufficient to rely on the manufacturers’ non-declaration, or declaration of non-usage of such gelatine? If there is a possibility of chemical transformation during the manufacturing process, is it necessary to investigate? If the amount of gelatine is not negligible, would emergency use to prevent a potentially life-threatening infection, justify its inoculation?

Answers:

• Ø 1: In such circumstances, it is appropriate to rely on the advice given by experienced medical experts. As per Shari’ah, it is mandatory to use an approved vaccine in a situation when the probability of suffering from the Coronavirus infection, with its potentially life threatening and/or serious untreatable complications, far outweigh the probable serious side effects of getting vaccinated.
• Ø 2: It is not permissible to violate the prioritization scheme if it is mandated by the law of the land.
• Ø 3: In cases where necessary there is no objection.
• Ø 4: If it has potentially lethal or extremely serious untreatable complications, then it’s not allowed; unless the risk is low and negligible.
• Ø 5: In all (the above) circumstances there is no legal Shar’i objection.