Coronavirus Vaccine Ethics

This episode of The Bioethics Podcast will cover the five following ethical considerations in regards to the current Covid-19 vaccines:

-Whether fast-tracked vaccines that short-cut Phase 3 trials, as in the case of two vaccines out of Russia and three out of China, are safe. 

-Whether Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. FDA of any of the vaccine candidates is valid.

-Whether challenge trials are ethical, as in the case of the Imperial College of London trial in the UK.

-Whether there is a fair way to distribute limited doses of the vaccine, and who should receive a vaccine first.

-Whether the first vaccine approved by the FDA is the best vaccine and whether vulnerable populations should get the first vaccine or the “best” vaccine.

-Whether people are morally obligated to get a COVID-19 vaccine, especially those who have already had the virus or are low-risk populations.

-Whether there is a reason for conscientious objections to certain vaccines based on their development using fetal cell lines.

-Whether a vaccine is necessary.

-Whether mRNA vaccines, such as Moderna and Pfizer’s vaccines, are safe.