Making the Moral Case for Vaccination
When providing policymakers and the public with the reasons to invest in vaccines we tend to focus on the data to prove our point. While this is an important component of our evidence base, it may not be enough. The Public and Political Support Working Group is not only looking at economic evidence but also the moral issues related to immunization and how that can best be communicated to key stakeholders.
In the June issue of Health Affairs, Angus Dawson argues that parents and policymakers should take into account the moral case for immunization. This compelling case has four components: benefits and harms, best interests, community benefits and justice. These components, Dawson argues, should be a central part of the public discussion and decision making around vaccination.
Be sure to check out the article, supported in its development by the Public and Political Support Working Group:
The Moral Case For The Routine Vaccination Of Children In Developed And Developing Countries
The McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health commissioned, on behalf of the Public and Political Support Working Group, a working paper from which the paper published in Health Affairs was derived. The Working Group also provided comments and feedback to help shape the article.