Ingrid Fitzgerald

August 5, 2014
Medical Ethics Week 5

Many times in the medical field a problem for physicians that arises is vaccination
refusals. For some people, when the doctor asks about vaccinations, there is little thought. For
children, the parent or guardian usually will make the decision whether or not to vaccinate the
child. In some cases, parents trust the advice of doctors to get there kids vaccinated before they
attend school for the sake of their own health and the health of others. However, on the other
hand, some parents may think twice when asked about vaccinating their child.
Why might a person be adamant about vaccination refusals today? Immunizations are
refused for many different reasons. Vaccinations may place the child at a health risk, weakening
their immune system. Typically, parents either have reservations about the risk of an adverse
reaction in their child or they may have moral concerns about vaccines that have an association
with past abortions (Furton, 2009, p. 231). Furthermore, vaccines associated with sexual
activity may be refused because it goes against promoting chastity and abstinence.
Although vaccines may cause adverse reactions, posing a serious concern, the risk seems
to be outweighed by the benefits. For example the rubella vaccine is a common immunization
given to young children. Although rubella may only be a mild disease in children, causing a rash
on the face and neck for a few days, the vaccine not only protects against this mild disease, but
also prevents the unborn children of pregnant woman from suffering from birth defects or death
with the women who are infected. Having this immunization not only protects the child from the
mild disease, but also the children he or she may come in contact with or may bear in the future.

Refusing vaccinations tends to lead to the return of the disease. Some parents believe in
herd immunity. This means that parents may refuse vaccinations because they believe they and
their children are safe because most of their community has been immunized. However, this
belief goes against the virtue of justice. According to Furton (2009),
among the cardinal virtues, justice alone is directed toward the good of others. The
equality of our human nature obliges each of us to respect the right to life and health that
belongs to each and every other human being. Therefore, the primary reason why we
should use vaccines is for the general protection of society. (p. 232)
Those who choose not to be vaccinated without a good reason are harming the common good.
For Catholics, it is extremely important in the cases of rubella. Since rubella harms the most
vulnerable, the unborn, it is only justice to protect the common good and vaccinate. Although
there are always risks of adverse reactions with immunizations, the chances of severe reactions
are slim. These risks do not justify the decision to refuse vaccinations.
In addition to the risks of adverse reactions and the belief in herd immunity, people also
may refuse vaccinations because many vaccines that are used today are grown in cells that came
from aborted fetal tissue, such as varicella, MRC-5 and WI-38, and rubella virus strain RA 27/3.
The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services in directive 66 states:
Catholic health care institutions should not make use of human tissue obtained by direct
abortions even for research and therapeutic purposes. Since the vaccines are grown in a culture
from a past abortion, this directive seems irrelevant. According to Furton (2009), the parent is
not responsible for research that created the problematic cell line, nor is he or she responsible for
the decision of the manufacturer to use that line in the production of the vaccine (p. 232).

Therefore, when there is no alternative available, it is acceptable for Catholic parents to have
their children or themselves use these products until another alternative is available. While using
these products, Catholic parents should not accept their origins, but they should express
rejection. Under Catholic teaching, parents cannot claim an exemption to vaccinations; however,
they can exercise the right of their conscience.
Moreover, when deciding whether or not to be vaccinated for sexually transmitted
diseases, the Catholic Church differs. Although sexually transmitted disease vaccines may
prevent or reduce the disease, such as the HPV vaccine, the Church allows these vaccines to be
refused. Through the teaching of the Church, we know that God gave us free will and intellect. In
order to live moral lives, we should be able to change our behavior. According to Furton (2009),
if sexual promiscuity is approached by receiving shots or taking pills, then we are not asking
ourselves to exercise self-control, but we are using medicine to palliate our vice (p. 234). In
other words, by vaccinating children against sexually transmitted diseases, it allows the children
to think it is okay to have sex and do so without self-discipline. Vaccinations against sexually
transmitted disease should not be mandated by the state. Sexual promiscuity is a moral problem
that does not need to be handled by science or technology, rather by simple individual choices.
Furthermore, many doctors and researchers have written articles that may further make
people adamant about vaccination refusals. According to Dr. James Howenstine (2003), if
enough persons said no to immunizations there would be a striking improvement in general heath
with nature back in immunizing business instead of man (p. 2). He believes that vaccinations
should never be obligatory; people should always be able to make a choice. People often
question whether or not vaccinations work. According to Howenstine, in 1975 Germany stopped
making the pertussis vaccine a requirement and following this, there was a decrease in the

number of pertussis cases. Furthermore, in Howenstines article, he lists many different cases in
which vaccinations cause harm or danger to the person. He states that vaccinating children has
caused the development of allergies and asthma. According to New Zealand study, 23% of
children vaccinated were found to have allergies and asthma. In addition, the measles vaccine
may produce side effects such as brain damage. Furthermore, the swine flu vaccine may damage
nerves. As the number of vaccinations increases, an increase in the number of autoimmune
diseases has followed. Auto-immune diseases can be genetic; however, vaccines, which are often
made of toxic substances, such as mercury and aluminum, may also be the cause. Due to the
doubt of working vaccines and the dangers they may cause, many people may refuse them.
Moreover, the polio vaccine continues to cause debate about inflicting human cancer.
However, there is an agreement that Salk polio vaccine released in the public use between 1955
and 1963 was contaminated with SV40; and SV40 has been proven to cause cancer in animals
(Heyes, 2011, p.3). With the concern that it is not known whether human cancer can be cause by
this vaccine, many people may be hesitant to allow this vaccine to be injected in their child or
themselves.
After reading the textbook as well as the articles, my eyes have been opened. I did not
realize all of the dangers of vaccinations as well as different opinions. Ever since I was a child,
the doctor would always ask my parents permission to vaccinate me. They never gave the doctor
a problem. However, now I know that not all parents trust the physicians or the vaccinations. I
still think that many vaccinations are useful and do in fact help prevent the disease. However, I
do not think that all vaccinations should be obligatory, such as the sexually transmitted
vaccinations. I agree with the Church on this topic. I think these vaccinations take away our selfcontrol and self-discipline. An individual should be able to choose to make the morally right

decision and not engage in sexual promiscuity. Furthermore, I found the topic on vaccinations
that come from growing them from aborted fetal tissue very interesting. I did not know that some
vaccines are associated with abortion. Although abortion is considered immoral by the Church, it
is not immoral to use these vaccines unless there is another alternative. Although one uses such
means to protect against disease, they must still express objection to the origin. As a patient, I
think doctors and nurses should make sure that their patient is aware about the origin of the
vaccination as well as the side effects. I think answering questions and giving as much evidence
based research on the vaccinations may help patients make better decisions.