FInal Paper

Mandated Vaccination

Rene Lat

Excelsior College

HSC 214: Ethics and the Health Professions

Professor Michael Senf

11 April 2021

Mandated Vaccination

1. Ethical Dilemma

I. Vaccinations are created with the purpose of preventing a disease.

II. It is a practice that has led to the saving of lives based on the intensity that ailments may

have within the society.

III. Mandated vaccines have been passed by the constitution to ensure that the containment of

fatal illnesses takes place.

IV. The practice is mostly common among the children because they are the most vulnerable.

The dilemma comes in whether the person has the choice to choose or the protection of a

life.

2. Desired Outcome

V. The best practice that comes with the situation is that the disease can be prevented before

it affects others.

VI. The outcome of the choice involved in the dilemma entails foregoing the choice that a

person might have towards personal ideas such as the freedom of choice.

VII. Saving a life is more important compared to making choices that are based on

emotions only.

3. First Ethical Principle

VIII. The concern for others is the ethical principle that perfectly applies for the case.

IX. The fact that one needs to protect himself to ensure that the protection for others is

achieved is an important activity in play that needs to be respected.

X. Second Ethical Principle

XI. The other ethical principle that would apply involves law abiding. It is mandatory that the

vaccines are administered.

XII. The respect to law demands that such activities needs to be satisfied and

respecting the rule of law is paramount.

4. Ethical Theory

XIII. The theory of ethics of care stipulates that one needs to show care towards others

to fulfill the ultimate purpose of life.

5. Ethical Decision

XIV. The ethical decision would be derived with Doherty and Purtilo 6 steps to ensure

that a solid decision is created.

6. Policy

XV. The vaccination policy is the health policy that the government uses to ensure that

the vaccines are taken in the required way.

References

https://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/ethical-issues-and-vaccines

Barraza, L., Schmit, C., & Hoss, A. (2017). The Latest in Vaccine Policies: Selected Issues in

School Vaccinations, Healthcare Worker Vaccinations, and Pharmacist Vaccination

Authority Laws. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 45(1_suppl), 16–19.

Darden, E. C. (2015). ED Law: Think vaccinations are a pain? Try avoiding them in court. Phi

Delta Kappan, 96(6), 74–75.

Lang, Y. C., & Stitt-Fischer, M. (2015). Evaluation of a University-Based Mandatory Vaccine

Program. Workplace Health & Safety, 63(4), 179–188.

Lukich, N., Kekewich, M., & Roth, V. (2018). Should influenza vaccination be mandatory for

healthcare workers? Healthcare Management Forum, 31(5), 214–217.

Richardson, S., & Weaver, K. (2016). Vaccinate-or-mask: Ethical duties and rights of health care

providers in obtaining or refusing the influenza vaccination. Clinical Ethics, 11(4), 182–

189.