Byproducts: SV40 (Simian Virus 40) - VEC Vaccine Notes | Vaccine Education Center at CHOP

Find out how some vaccine recipients in the 1950s and early 1960s were exposed to simian virus 40 (SV40), a virus that infects monkeys. Charlotte Moser, Co-Director of the Vaccine Education Center, talks about the four vaccines that were contaminated with SV40 and addresses the health concerns, including cancer risks, for those who were exposed. Although SV40 was found to cause cancer in lab animals, studies found no link between the contaminated vaccines and development of cancer in people. Importantly, since the early 1960s, cell lines used to make vaccines in the U.S. are free of SV40, so this is no longer a vaccine safety concern. Check out the audio version on Podbean, https://vec-vaccine-notes.podbean.com.... Watch the episode to find: • Who discovered SV40 and how it was handled • Which vaccines were affected and how many people were estimated to be exposed by each • Which types of cancers have been found to have DNA from SV40 and the larger context of scientific findings • Why the studies of SV40 have been reassuring 00:00 Introduction 01:07 Discovery of SV40 01:56 Vaccines contaminated with SV40 04:19 SV40 studies 05:36 Studies of SV40 in contaminated vaccines 06:33 Summary To learn more about SV40, please visit https://bit.ly/sv40. To learn more about vaccine ingredients, please visit https://bit.ly/vec-vax-ingredients. Questions? Submit the VEC Vaccine Notes form, https://bit.ly/contact-vec-vaccine-notes. For other vaccines, diseases or general questions about vaccines, check out https://vaccine.chop.edu. Subscribe to our Parents PACK newsletter, https://bit.ly/3KfLUoO. Video created by and for the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (VEC at CHOP) is composed of scientists, physicians, mothers, and fathers devoted to the study and prevention of infectious diseases. The Center was launched in October 2000 to provide accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent. If you have any questions about your child’s health, please contact your child’s doctor. This video is intended only to provide general education and not intended to create a doctor-patient relationship between you and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). It is not medical advice or treatment, and CHOP is not responsible for any outcomes you or your child might experience from your use of this video. This video is provided “AS IS” with no warranties or representations. This video is copyright of CHOP. All rights reserved. ©2026 The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. For more information about vaccines or to contact us, check out the VEC’s main website at https://vaccine.chop.edu.