Ethical Issues in Mandatory Vaccination

Abstract

Vaccination carries significant health benefits and is a widely accepted intervention for public health care. Compulsory vaccination was first introduced in Europe and United States of America for smallpox and mandatory vaccination is still in practice in few counties across the globe. Although vaccine mandates are an important tool for achieving high vaccination coverage but enforcement of such mandates by governments often precipitates debates on ethical issues. There are people who believe that authorities emphasize more on the benefits of vaccination and trivializes the adverse effects. They do not accept existing medical or safety evidences. On the other hand, some communities disagree because they have their religious or philosophical beliefs which do not support vaccination. They think these regulations infringe upon an individual's autonomy. There is an inextricable link between public health care and human rights which cannot be ignored. This paper aims to identify various ethical issues concerning mandatory vaccination.