Topic
Ethical Tensions in Matters Vaccination
Instructions
Prior to discussion watch “The Vaccine War” documentary. Originally produced in 2010, the documentary was updated in 2015. A number of tensions are highlighted and some focus on ethical tensions faced by clinicians and public health professionals. Focus on one of two types of tensions and ignore others (e.g., parents that vaccinate their children and parents that do not). The clinical tension involves a health professional and a patient or the patient’s parents. The public health tension involves public health professionals and communities.
Link to video below (or Google: PBS Frontline Vaccine Wars)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/vaccines/
Initial Reply: Your initial post should be at minimum 250 words.
In your post accomplish the following: Identify a tension you think important as it applies to either clinicians or public health professionals. Your initial post should describe the tension, identify relevant ethical principles or values so far learned that apply, and pinpoint the role of evidence in the tension.
In may help when you identify a tension to pose it as a question that reflects the conflict or dilemma. Make the question specific. One of these forms may help: Given facts about the case, conflicting principles, or uncertain information, what action(s) are justifiable? <or> : Given facts about the case, conflicting principles, or uncertain information, is it justifiable to do (some action)?
Answer preview
In the documentary titled The Vaccine Wars, there are several ethical tensions. The first tension is the one that arises in the form of individual rights versus the public health. In the documentary, there are several examples given of people who have suffered serious conditions after the administration of certain vaccines. One lady named Desiree suffered permanent disability after getting a flu vaccine. According to her, her disability is attributed to the flu vaccine she was given and nothing else. Is the public protection more important than individual rights?
Word count: 370