The Ethical Theories and Issues Surrounding Vaccination in America

Ethics Theories

Part One

Based on rights ethics, every citizen in the American population has the right to be vaccinated against the pandemic. However, the vaccine is only able to sustain and cover seventy percent of the population. From an ethical standpoint, such a scenario causes a crisis which should be handled with the highest level of priority. Thus, the theory of justice will be the most appropriate approach to ensure that the most eligible people in the population receive the vaccine. The theory enables individuals to apply “fairness” while distributing the vaccine. The “social contract” stipulated by the theory is an ideal approach to ensure that the vaccine is given to the people with the most beneficial qualities to ensure the sustenance of the society after the pandemic.

Deontological ethics will make sure that the vaccine priority will not cause any adverse consequences to the determining body. The theory, whose approach recognizes that the organization charged with the distribution of the vaccine has its “duty” to prevent further spread of the pandemic. The organization will also accept that by giving the vaccine to the most viable candidates will, in the end, have a certainty that has been determined by its actions. Through utilitarianism, giving the vaccine to healthy middle aged persons and children will provide the best action. The theory is keen to stipulate that giving the vaccine to healthy middle aged individuals and children will provide the maximized utilization of the vaccine and the population. The action can be justified by the virtual based theory of ethics, which states that the value of the approach rests on the right that the measures mentioned above will seek. Therefore, giving the vaccine to the most viable individuals in the population is virtuous since the other thirty percent would carry the same action if given a chance.

Part two

The process of selecting and giving the chosen group the vaccine should comply with the bioethics principles. Thus a rigorous screening process will determine which person will receive the vaccine. The selection process will ensure that everyone in the population has a chance to decide their fate. It means that everyone in the population will be subjected to the standard screening test which initially proves whether the individual is infected. After passing the test, it is justifiable to proceed to the next screening to determine the health status of the individual. The selection process is vital in ensuring that bioethical code of justice provides fair adjudication in the claim for the vaccine.

Furthermore, the selection process will seek to uphold non-maleficence through a selection checklist. If the individual does not fulfill the required threshold, the determination will be based on whether they will be beneficial in long or short term procedures. The people to receive the vaccine, on the other hand, should have be treated with an autonomous approach. They will have the options to choose the form of vaccine delivery which they feel is safer and has fewer risks. Additionally, the people who do not fit the vaccine criteria will also be presented with the terms of vaccine selection process. Offering the explanations to both groups will ensure that each participant understands that the process is not a personal matter rather than an action of beneficence. Through this additional process, the bioethical issues will be covered. Also, the process will also ensure that there is a balance among all the practices of ethics and code of conduct.