Ethical Arguments in Public Health Policy

Ethical Arguments in Public Health Policy

Your two children attend a charter school in your neighborhood. You feel fortunate that the school is excellent in every way and that your children love it. At the beginning of the year, two new children enter the school, and they have refused the required vaccinations. The parents claim that the refusal is based on long-held religious beliefs about the nature and function of medicine. The legal issues here will be resolved in the courts, but, meanwhile, two unvaccinated children are attending the school, and a decision must be made on ethical, not legal, grounds. Directions: Write a letter to the school principal arguing for your position. Include the basic facts: Summarize the ethical impetus behind vaccinations. Explain the benefits and trade-offs of vaccinations. Use ethical theories to argue your case: Explain why your position will produce the most good and do the least harm. (The Utilitarian Approach) Explain why your position best respects the rights of all who have a stake. (The Rights Approach) Explain why your position treats people equally or proportionately. (The Justice Approach) Explain why your position best serves the community as a whole, not just some members. (The Common Good Approach) Explain why your position leads you to act as the sort of person you want to be. (The Virtue Approach) Include the following in your conclusion: Explain how your decision can balance the concerns of stakeholders. Predict the outcomes of your decision and the lesson gained from it. Additional Requirements: Length: Submit 3 pages, not including the title page and reference page, which you must also include in your assessment. References: Cite at least 2 current scholarly or professional resources. Format: Follow current APA style and formatting guidelines for your references. Font: Use Times New Roman, 12-point, double-spaced font.