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Non-Maleficence, Social Benefit and the Vaccination of Children.

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Peer-reviewed

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Article

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Abstract

Public health policy often involves a trade-off between promoting population health and protecting the interests of identifiable individuals. This paper analyses this trade-off as it arises in the context of decisions about the vaccination of children against Covid-19, where vaccination may be in the interests of society as a whole, as a means to stopping transmission, but not in the interests of individual children. The paper argues that the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation resolved this tension by appeal to a version of a non-maleficence principle. It argues that, while this principle can be a useful guide to some public health policy decision-making, it is inappropriate in the case of vaccination.

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Keywords

Covid-19, public health ethics, public health policy, vaccination ethics, COVID-19, Child, Humans, Vaccination

Journal Title

R I Med J (2013)

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0363-7913
2327-2228

Volume Title

105

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Sponsorship
British Academy (COV19\200862)