Mandatory Vaccinations And Ethical Dilemmas

Words: 415
Pages: 2
Open Document
Ethical Considerations

Mandatory vaccinations represent an ethical dilemma. In order to understand this, let us review the four ethical principles of Beauchamp and Childress (2001): autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. The principle of autonomy entails respect for a person’s wishes – to allow a person to make meaningful decisions having an adequate level of understanding and without the control of others. The principle of beneficence is to promote good and the related principle of non-maleficence is to prevent harm. The principle of justice requires a fair distribution of resources in society. Beauchamp and Childress do not claim that these principles provide a theory of morality, but they should be used to reflect on ethical challenges so an appropriate resolution to those challenges can be achieved. …show more content…
Eradication of terrible diseases, such as polio, rabies or smallpox, is a direct result of vaccination and herd immunity. Consequently, the principle of beneficence suggests that mandatory vaccinations are in the best interests of society. Unfortunately, this requires that individuals sacrifice their autonomy – their ability to decide something as fundamental as what goes inside their own body – for the overall good. Moreover, the principle of autonomy is frequently violated when physicians fail to provide all the facts regarding any proposed vaccine so the patient can offer informed consent. For example, a recent survey indicated that most physicians tell patients that HPV vaccines are an important cervical cancer prevention tool, where recent clinical trials show no evidence to support that claim (Tomljenovic & Shaw,
Show More

Related Documents: Mandatory Vaccinations And Ethical Dilemmas

Pros And Cons Of Vaccination

Debate Summary Vaccination is a method of giving antigen to stimulate the immune response through active immunization. It is an immune-biological material designed to generate particular protection against a specified infection (Austvoll-Dahlgren et al, 2010). I think we should definitely have mandatory childhood vaccinations. It is our shared responsibility, vaccines are safe and effective. Vaccines can eradicate disease and prevent serious illness and death. According to a 2007 CDC and prevention…

Words 470 - Pages 2

Vaccines Ethic 2 Essay

Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate: The Ethical Debate South College-Asheville Instructor: Gloria Simuel MSN, RN To Vaccinate Or Not To Vaccinate To vaccinate or not to vaccinate: this is an ethical debate that has been around since the 1700s. The debate in America can also be traced back to the 1700s, which was based on the right to be inoculated against smallpox. Currently the vaccination debate has evolved into the right not to vaccinate. Vaccinations are effective in eliminating many…

Words 2737 - Pages 11

Disneyland Vaccination Analysis

The recent outbreak of measles in Disneyland, California has refueled the debate over mandatory vaccinations of children in the United States. Between the dates of January 1 and January 28, 2015, a total of 84 people in 14 states were reported to have measles, and most of these cases were linked to the multistate outbreak that began in Disneyland theme parks in California (CDC, 2015). According to Dr. Anne Schuchat, the assistant surgeon general of the United States Public Health Service and director…

Words 2156 - Pages 9

Managing Information Technology (7th Edition) Essay

CONTENTS: CASE STUDIES CASE STUDY 1 Midsouth Chamber of Commerce (A): The Role of the Operating Manager in Information Systems CASE STUDY I-1 IMT Custom Machine Company, Inc.: Selection of an Information Technology Platform CASE STUDY I-2 VoIP2.biz, Inc.: Deciding on the Next Steps for a VoIP Supplier CASE STUDY I-3 The VoIP Adoption at Butler University CASE STUDY I-4 Supporting Mobile Health Clinics: The Children’s Health Fund of New York City CASE STUDY I-5…

Words 239873 - Pages 960