2.6.6 Ethical Issues with Vaccines & Monoclonal Antibodies

Ethical Issues with Vaccines:

1. Animal Testing:

• Vaccines are often tested on animals during development, raising concerns about animal welfare.
• Some animal-derived products may also be used in vaccine production.

2. Human Trials:

• Vaccines must be tested on humans to assess their efficacy and safety.
• There is an ethical need for informed consent, particularly when trials are conducted in low-income countries.

3. Risk vs Benefit:

• The potential side effects of vaccines must be weighed against their benefits in preventing disease.
• Rare adverse reactions may still occur, raising questions about accountability.

4. Cost and Accessibility:

• Vaccines can be expensive to produce, limiting access for low-income populations.
• Ethical concerns arise over how vaccines are distributed globally, particularly during pandemics.

5. Compulsory Vaccination:

• Debates exist over whether vaccines should be mandatory, especially for diseases that rely on herd immunity (e.g., measles).
• Ethical dilemmas include balancing public health with individual freedom.

Ethical Issues with Monoclonal Antibodies:

1. Animal Use in Production:

• The creation of monoclonal antibodies involves using mice to produce hybridoma cells, which raises ethical questions about animal testing and suffering.

2. Cost and Accessibility:

• Monoclonal antibody therapies are often very expensive, making them inaccessible to many people.
• This raises ethical concerns about healthcare inequality.

3. Potential Side Effects:

• Monoclonal antibody treatments may cause adverse effects, including immune reactions, which need to be carefully managed.
• Testing for safety may involve exposing patients to experimental treatments.

4. Equitable Access:

• Therapies like monoclonal antibodies for cancer or autoimmune diseases may not be widely available in low-income countries, creating disparities in healthcare.

Key Considerations:

• Informed Consent:
  • Participants in clinical trials must be fully aware of the risks involved.
• Global Distribution:
  • Ethical principles demand fair distribution of vaccines and therapies, particularly during global health crises like pandemics.
• Balancing Individual Rights and Public Health:
  • Compulsory vaccination policies must balance protecting the population with respecting individual autonomy.

Examples of Ethical Issues:

1. COVID-19 Vaccines:

• Unequal access to vaccines between high-income and low-income countries raised ethical concerns about global fairness.
• Debates over vaccine mandates highlighted tensions between individual rights and community safety.

2. Monoclonal Antibodies for Cancer:

• The high cost of therapies like Herceptin means they are not affordable for everyone, leading to discussions about healthcare equity.