Medical Tattoos: Will it still be considered sinful in Islam?
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By Matt McGrath
BBC News |
More antibodies are created with the tattooing method
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Scientists in Germany say that tattoos could be the ideal way of delivering vaccines into the body.
The researchers say that in tests undertaken with mice, tattoos were much more effective in provoking a response from the immune system.
Tattoos could be a useful way of delivering therapeutic vaccines in humans, including for some cancers.
Such vaccines have often failed to produce the expected immune response when delivered using an injection.
Vibrating needle
Tattoos have played a part in human culture for thousands of years.
Just over 100 years ago, the practice became more widely available with the invention of the electric tattoo machine in the United States. The same basic instrument is still in use to create tattoos today.
Now researchers in Germany say that the rapidly vibrating tattoo needle could be a useful way of delivering vaccines under the skin instead of insoluble ink.
In studies with mice, tattooing a vaccine produced 16 times more antibodies than a simple injection into muscle tissue.
The level of antibodies indicates the strength of the immune system’s response.
Dr Martin Mueller, one of the researchers behind this work, says that the greater damage to the body caused by the tattoo needle may explain the better immune response.
The scientists say that the tattoo needles would never be suitable for preventative vaccines, such as measles, in children as the pain would be too great.
But there may well be a role for the technique in the routine vaccination of animals.
Intriguing..it needs alot of research to answer this question
thats pretty crazy….but I agree…this needs to be looked into a little further. I was just picturing a little kid getting a tattoo…that would be a site.
Why would it be acceptable to cause this pain to animals, and not children? That is bullshit. I say, adult humans only, because they can choose.
I have tattoos, and don’t mind the pain, but an animal would not understand.
Chika: Want a scratch n sniff sticker instead?
kaileena: That’s right..wonder what’re the ethical issues it’ll raise later?
rainbow: lol..it sure would be an interesting sight!
Lulu: I understand your opinion, but what does that have to do with it being a sin in Islam or not? That’s the main concern here.
Worth noting that not all schools of thought in Islam prohibit tattoos.
In the Shia school of thought, it’s allowed
Would the tattoo images be permanent, or would they fade over time as the vaccine ends its injection period?
Still, I never saw the point in body art, even with the whole “the body is your temple” speach.
Well, the Qu’ran says you can eat normally haraam food if necessary, so logically a medical procedure would be more so. Especially since logically there’s no reason ink would be involved anyway. I put very little stock in Bukhari and thus don’t really care if people get tattooed but even according to principles of Sunni jurisprudence, I have to imagine using a tattoo needle to deliver a vaccine would be sound.