Vaccination & Vaccination Hesitancy Flashcards
Moral questions
Should childhood vaccinations be compulsory?
should covid-19 vaccination be mandatory?
Are vaccination passports’ morally acceptable?
What are the sources of vaccine hesitancy?
What are acceptable arguments to counter vaccine hesitancy?
Pro vaccination arguments?
Beneficence- good for the individual
Utilitarian- herd immunity leads to general reduction in suffering
- 60-70% coverage needed for herm immunity
Non-maleficence- unvaccinated individuals at risk of harm
Justice- compromising herd immunity by refusing to be vaccinated or to vaccinate one’s own child is not fair to others
Against vaccination arguments?
Autonomy- right to choose or parents right to make treatment decisions for their children
Fear of ‘other kinds of harm’ to them e.g. blood clots
Distrust of medical profession
Distrust of large pharmaceutical companies- particularly ethnic minorities
Vehemence- sometimes violent- of some anti-vaxxers
How did anti-vax sentiment start?
1998- oar linking MMR vaccine w/ conditions including autism publish
2004- co-authors w/draw support
2010- Wakefield (author) struck off from GMC
2010-present- Wakefield stands by conclusions
HOWEVER, vaccine hesitancy have feel around for longer- effects of vaccine are not fully understood by general public
Why are parent’s hesitant to vaccinate their child?
Harm v s benefit- will vaccine benefit child?
Knowledge vs belief- is vaccine safe?
Trust- are drug companies getting money or incentives for vaccinating child?
Individual vs population vs patient autonomy- why should I put my child at risk for sake of herd immunity?
Autonomy vs parental rights
Parenthood need not imply an absolute right to choose for children
From a parent’s perspective, risking possible harm by omission is different from causing harm by positive act
What are vaccine passports? Complications?
Certificate to permit access to some venues or transport or travel
- refusal to admit those w/out passport
But not everyone can be vaccinated
- might lead to alienation from health services & professions
- discrimination against groups of those refusing vaccination
- some people feel compelled to get vaccinated
SAQ- Should childhood vaccination be mandatory?
Yes:
- Herd immunity more important than individual freedom
- Good for community
- Good for individual child
- Concerns against vaccines irrational/ignorant
No:
- Individual freedom more important than herd immunity
- right not to vaccinate on par w/ other civil liberties
- Bad for child if there are real worried related to vaccines
4 ways in which the Wakefield’s research was unethical?
He falsified information claiming it had been approved by a research ethics committee
The procedures involved were invasive and not clearly justified - £5 for blood at a birthday party’
The justification for the research was not clear
Wakefield had an undisclosed conflict of interest
