Dispute rages over halaal status of measles jab
|Published
HALAAL? Measles vax.
Two Muslim organisations are at loggerheads over the vaccine currently being rolled out in the Western Cape following a measles outbreak.
The Muslim Judicial Council (SA) Fatwa Committee, in contrast to the Jamiatul Ulama KZN, has given the green light regarding the vaccine that the Department of Health is administering.
This comes after the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) issued a measles outbreak alert for the Cape Metro District, and announced a vaccination campaign to boost immunity between February 6 and March 31.
The MJC said it had received inquiries regarding the halaal status of the vaccine for Muslims.
“It has been observed that some of the measles vaccines contain porcine gelatine. However, it is important to note that porcine gelatine undergoes a process of istilah [metamorphic transformation], as well as istihlak [obliteration to the point of untraceability], which some of our jurists have regarded as permissible,” the MJC said.
“In curbing the spread of the measles outbreak, the MJC Fatwa Department thus regards measles vaccines containing porcine gelatine as permissible.
“However, we strongly recommend that if an alternative option that does not contain porcine gelatine is readily available and affordable, it should be opted for.”
However, according to the Jamiatul Ulama KZN, porcine gelatine is totally haraam.
The Jamiat said while it is ultimately the choice of the parent, they would need to ensure that the vaccines given does not contain impermissible ingredients.
The Western Cape Health Department said it acknowledges the religious concerns from the Muslim community, and confirmed that the only measles vaccine available in the public sector, MeasBio® (Biovac), contains porcine gelatin.
“However, the Western Cape stands by the official stance on vaccination by the Islamic Medical Association Of South Africa [Imasa], which was announced in 2017,” it stated.
“At that seminar, the Imasa concluded that the transformation of pork products into gelatin alters it sufficiently to make it permissible for Muslims to receive vaccines.”
The department encouraged parents and caregivers to make sure children receive the vaccine as it is currently the best defence against the disease.