Philosophy

Sophia King, "Vaccination, Responsibility, and Risk: A Bioethical Analysis of Parental Choice and Responses to Measles Vaccine Hesitancy"

In response to the resurgence of measles in the United States over the past two years, this project uses ethical analysis and literature review to examine a parent’s moral duty to vaccinate their child against measles and how healthcare professionals, communities, and governments should ethically respond to parental vaccine refusal and hesitancy. I argue that parents have a moral duty to vaccinate their child against measles because increasing incidence, globalization, and falling immunity coverage mean infection currently poses a significant, preventable risk of harm. I then evaluate ethical third party responses when parents refuse vaccination. Evidence shows that trusting physician-parent relationships can encourage parents to reconsider refusal, and anger based responses directed towards strangers undermine vaccination efforts. I argue an ethical response from the state prioritizes accessibility and vaccine education requirements for exemptions over punishment. These findings offer an ethical framework to both protect children and bridge the vaccination divide.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Biology and Philosophy Major

Advisor: Dr. Maria Victoria Costa