FDA: risks of DNA from cell lines used in vaccines

According to the FDA, “Viral vaccines and biological products contain contaminating residual DNA from cell substrate… DNA is a biologically active molecule whose activities pose a significant risk to vaccinees; thus, the amount of DNA needs to be limited and its activities reduced”

You can download the FDA’s PowerPoint presentation from October 2005:

In 2009, the FDA published a paper called Issues associated with residual cell-substrate DNA in viral vaccines, which you can view here. In the paper abstract, the FDA points out that:

“The presence of some residual cellular DNA derived from the production-cell substrate in viral vaccines is inevitable. Whether this DNA represents a safety concern, particularly if the cell substrate is derived from a tumor or is tumorigenic, is unknown. DNA has two biological activities that need to be considered. First, DNA can be oncogenic; second, DNA can be infectious.”