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Ethical considerations for epidemic vaccine trials
1Program in Ethics, Politics, and Economics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA joshua.monrad@yale.edu.
Journal of Medical Ethics
|May 17, 2020
Summary
When an effective vaccine exists, trialing a new one raises ethical concerns, especially in vulnerable populations. A framework is proposed to compare new vaccines against existing ones, considering scientific and ethical factors.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Epidemiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Vaccines are crucial for public health and controlling pandemics like COVID-19.
- Ethical dilemmas emerge when testing new vaccines for an epidemic disease if an effective one already exists.
- Concerns include withholding effective treatments, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, and hindering outbreak control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss key factors for comparing novel vaccines against existing ones for epidemic pathogens.
- To establish a general ethical framework for evaluating new vaccine trials during outbreaks.
- To apply this framework to COVID-19 vaccines, informed by the Ebola vaccine development case study.
Main Methods:
- Discussion of ethical considerations in vaccine trials.
- Analysis of comparative factors: immunological, logistical, and economic.
- Case study: Ebola vaccine development.
Main Results:
- Identifies ethical challenges in conducting new vaccine trials when effective options are available.
- Highlights the need to consider immunological, logistical, and economic advantages of new vaccine candidates.
- Proposes a framework for ethical evaluation and comparison of epidemic vaccines.
Conclusions:
- Testing new epidemic vaccines requires careful ethical consideration, balancing potential benefits against risks.
- A comprehensive framework, involving multiple disciplines, is needed to guide decisions on vaccine trials.
- This framework can aid in ethically navigating vaccine development during public health crises like COVID-19.
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