COVID-19 Vaccine Refusal and Fair Allocation of Scarce Medical Resources
Document Type
Article
Publication
JAMA Health Forum
Year
2022
Citation Information
Govind Persad and Emily A. Largent, COVID-19 Vaccine Refusal and Fair Allocation of Scarce Medical Resources, 1 (2022), available at https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/faculty-articles/1988.
Abstract
When hospitals face surges of patients with COVID-19, fair allocation of scarce medical resources remains a challenge. Scarcity has at times encompassed not only hospital and intensive care unit beds—often reflecting staffing shortages—but also therapies and intensive treatments. Safe, highly effective COVID-19 vaccines have been free and widely available since mid-2021, yet many Americans remain unvaccinated by choice. Should their decision to forgo vaccination be considered when allocating scarce resources? Some have suggested it should,while others disagree. We offer a framework for evaluating when it is ethical and briefly discuss its legality in American law.