By Julie Neild, MTSC, BS

QUESTION:

Are the ingredients in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine of animal origin?

ANSWER:

In the United Kingdom (UK), the vaccine is derived from non-animal products. However, in the United States (US), the FDA has not provided information that can confirm or deny whether the ingredients are of animal origin.  

The drug manufacturing supply chain is like a complex web, so we can’t assume that what applies in the UK also applies in the US. Pharmaceutical companies source ingredients from a variety of locations/companies and also may have more than one manufacturing site for a single drug. To further complicate matters, a product may stop in more than one country before the final product is created. Supply chains are considered proprietary information. Unless the FDA asks Pfizer-BioNTech to provide a similar confirmation for US doses, the US consumer cannot be certain the vaccine does not contain any ingredients of animal origin. Of course, this fact needs to be balanced with the role that the COVID-19 vaccine plays in helping stop the pandemic.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Ingredients:

• messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine that has both synthetic, or chemically produced, components and enzymatically produced components from naturally occurring substances such as proteins
• Lipids ((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate), 2 [(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide, 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine, and cholesterol)
• Potassium chloride
• Monobasic potassium phosphate
• Sodium chloride
• Dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate
• Sucrose

UK confirmation that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 does not contain any products of animal origin: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-for-covid-19

Julie Neild is a clinical project manager and medical writing professional with over 30 years’ experience in clinical research and development. She and her husband have been vegans for over 20 years; raising a compassionate vegan daughter has been one of their greatest accomplishments.

Editor’s Note: This posting does not address the issue of testing the product on animals.

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

For information about food ingredients, see https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php