Ethical issues associated with the use of vaccines Flashcards
What ethical issues are there with the use of animals when creating vaccines
Testing on animals and Animal-based substances used in production of vaccines
What ethical issues are there with the use of humans when creating vaccines
A vaccine still carries a small risk at the human trial stage - person being tested may suffer from symptoms of disease or other unpredicted side effects. Volunteers may think trial vaccine will fully protect them when it doesn’t, putting them at a higher risk of contracting the disease. And volunteers are often paid - people financially struggling may feel pressured to take part.
How do side effects of vaccines present ethical issues
Some people refuse to take a particular vaccine (may be seen as unfair) and some refuse to let their children be vaccinated (ethically questionable)
How do epidemics present ethical issues
When new pandemics occur, often a struggle as to who should be vaccinated first and struggle between which countries should be vaccinated first.
How does the use of monoclonal antibodies present ethical issues
New monoclonal antibody therapies often tested on animals and animals used to produce cells from which monoclonal antibodies are produced.
Before positive or negative claims can be accurately made about vaccines what must they first be
Validated with scientific evidence
How can a claim about vaccines be validated
Other scientists may repeat the same study of the person making a claim and see if they produce the same results or conduct a similar study to prove the same theory.
What is it important to do when seeing data supporting claims or new findings concerning vaccines or monoclonal antibodies
Evaluate the data
What did a study in 1998 claim about the MMR vaccine
Concluded that the MMR vaccine might cause autism, based on 12 children with autism.
What was later found out about the researcher of the 1998 MMR vaccine study
The researcher was biased and working as a consultant for some parents attempting to sue pharmaceutical companies that produced the vaccine.
What did a study published in 2005 find about the number of children with autism between 1988 and 1996 (Japan) against when the MMR vaccine was first introduced to when it stopped being administered
Number of children with autism continued to increase even after MMR vaccine stopped being administered. For example, in 1992 - 75 per 10,000 children were diagnosed with autism by age 7. In 1994 - (MMR vaccine stopped 1993) approximately 200 per 10,000 children were diagnosed with autism by age 7.
Why were more children diagnosed with autism by age 7 in 1994
More children were being tested due to heightened interest in autism.
How many children were used in 2005 study
30,000
What do the results from 2005 study suggest
There is no link between MMR vaccine and autism
