Thanks to MFS - The Other News for tweeting about this. Via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Indonesia's top Islamic body issues fatwa against measles vaccine, calling it 'religiously forbidden'. Excerpt:
Indonesia's peak Islamic body has issued a religious decree — or fatwa — declaring the Rubella-Measles vaccine to be "haram" or religiously forbidden.
The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) justified the ruling by claiming the vaccine contains traces of pork and human cells, which are banned in the Muslim religion.
The organisation is chaired by Ma'ruf Amin, who was recently controversially announced as Indonesian President Joko Widodo's running mate in next year's presidential election.
However, the fatwa also states that the use of the product will be allowed for the time being due to the lack of viable alternatives.
He said the religious organisation understood the dangers associated with not getting children immunised.
However, CNN Indonesia reported that a number of towns had already suspended the vaccine before the MUI even announced their decision.
Tim Lindsey, the director of the Centre for Indonesian Law in the University of Melbourne, told the ABC the fatwa would undoubtedly make accessing the vaccination more difficult in Indonesia.
Fatwas are not legally binding in Indonesia, however declarations from the MUI are highly influential.
"If there's a MUI fatwa opposing it, that will be a real obstacle to public health efforts," Professor Lindsey said.
