OPTION 1: SHOULD THE U.S. END NON-MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS FOR VACCINATIONS? Note: This topic is about standard mandatory vaccinations–the ones needed to attend public (k-12) schools and colleges– like the MMR and polio vaccines. You can discuss recommended, but voluntary vaccinations, like HPV, but your focus should be on mandatory vaccinations. Some background/context: All states allow for exemptions of otherwise mandatory vaccinations (Links to an external site.) in cases of medical need. Some patients are too sick or immune-compromised to be vaccinated. Sometimes, however, there are conflicts between individual religious or personal beliefs and medical treatment. Most states allow religious exemptions for vaccinations and 20 states, as of 2019, allow personal belief exemptions. Lower vaccination compliance rates put everyone at risk, but especially those who are not vaccinated. Some doctors have even stated that they will not see/treat patients who are not vaccinated. Prompt: Given the public health implications when vaccination compliance rates drop, is it time to end non-medical exemptions for vaccinations? Or should all states be required to allow non-medical exemptions for vaccinations? What is your recommendation? What would this policy look like? In evaluating your policy, make sure that you explain how vulnerable individuals and groups may be affected by your policy, especially as it concerns issues of economic class, race, ethnicity, gender, and ability. When there are conflicts between religious or deeply held personal beliefs and medical treatment, how should these conflicts be resolved? Make sure that you offer a moral argument in favor of your recommendation and evaluate the policy using the principles of biomedical ethics. POLICY PAPER REQUIRED STRUCTURE: Introduction – In this section, you should briefly introduce the problem that you are addressing in the paper. You should also include a precise statement of the policy that you will be defending/arguing for in the paper; this is your thesis statement. The Policy – In this section, you will provide a full explication of the policy position that you are defending/arguing for in the paper. You should include your main argument for the policy in this section as well. Why is this the best solution to the problem? What are the reasons in support of your position. Evaluation of the Proposed Policy – In this section, you will evaluate your policy proposal using the five principles of biomedical ethics. In what ways does the policy meet the requirements of the principles of biomedical ethics? Are there any ways in which the policy fails to the meet the requirements of the principles? What might an opponent of your policy say? What is your response to these potential objections? Conclusion – In the conclusion, you will restate your main thesis. Then you will use the conclusion to tie up loose ends. For example, you might briefly consider the implications of the implementation of the policy in a broader legal or social context. The draft policy paper will be at least 1,700 but no more than 2,800 words. The final policy paper will be at least 2,000 but no more than 2,500 words.
