format_quote Originally Posted by
AHMED PATEL
Muslim father demands action after finding the NHS flu vaccines given to his daughter and niece contained PORK
- Mohammadda Shah's relatives given nasal spray by their local GP surgery
- Discovered the ingredients after a school letter offered the same vaccine
- The note explained how vaccine contained pork gelatin derived from pork
- Family from Bradford, West Yorkshire, demand an apology from the NHS
Asalaamualaykum
This is rather sad - however I think it will totally futile for the father to demand an apology from the NHS for the following reasons:
Before I move on, I am confused in your narration of the story because a Nasal spray is not the same as vaccine.
Anyway...
1.
Doctors in the UK who render medications generally have no idea about the ingredients. This is exactly why the science of Pharmacology exists. The pharmacists would know the ingredients and the derivations of it.
2. A doctor or a pharmacist in the UK has no legal responsibility to suggesting a medication based on a patients faith group.
3. If the father investigates the Shariah position regarding the matter - he will realise that there is major Ikhtilaaf on it.
3a)
Some Ulema have concluded that if medications have a derivation of pork but the molecular structure has changed during the pharmacological manufacturing process, then it would be accepted and Halaal.
3b) Other Ulema have argued that according to their investigation - only a partial molecular structure changes in the pharmacological manufacturing process hence leaving the remainder of the pork still in its natural organic form.
As much as I feel for the family and dad - the truth is that we as muslims need to know which of the two opinions above we going to accept. We cant divorce ourselves from the investigative responsibility and simply blame a third party. If the 3rd party has lied upon our investigation then that is a different matter altogether.
Once the father demands an apology from the NHS - All the NHS will do is revert back to reasons (1), (2) above. The NHS will investigate the Islamic stance upon it and will figure out a loophole in the Islamic Jurisprudence of the subject at hand. That will then give them a Get out of jail free card so to speak.
If the father goes ahead and makes a major complaint, it is possible that the NHS results in OCD attitude regarding the topic hence not using any "suspect" medication even in an emergency.
Example:
Can one imagine a situation of an emergency case whereby the NHS will have to inform the family of all ingredients in ALL the medication they going to use while the person is in bed waiting for Emergency Medical Care ??? Can you imagine the family outside the Intensive Care Unit trying to get a Jurispudence ruling while seconds tick on only to possibly lead to death ? Do you think a UK surgeon will wait for all of this instead of saving the life of the patient?
All the above questions are simple rhetorical for each muslim to ask themselves (Do not misread my questions as statements or superimpose a pseudo stance on my behalf, they are just simply questions we need to ask ourselves)
If the father forces an apology - the NHS will simply ask us which of the above 2 Shariah opinions do we want them to practice upon ???
To come to a compromise in this subject between the Dad and NHS, I think no apology should be demanded but we should rather spread the awareness of these medications.