Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 : a human enhancement story




Faculty/Professorship: General Psychology and Methodology  
Author(s): Döbler, Niklas  ; Carbon, Claus-Christian  
Publisher Information: Bamberg : Otto-Friedrich-Universität
Year of publication: 2022
Pages: 10
Source/Other editions: Translational Medicine Communications 6 (2021), 1. Article number: 27 (2021), S. 1-10, ISSN 2396-832X
is version of: 10.1186/s41231-021-00104-2
Year of first publication: 2021
Language(s): English
Licence: Creative Commons - CC BY - Attribution 4.0 International 
URL: https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/53258
URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:473-irb-522971
Abstract: 
Background

Vaccination is an essential strategy for mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides its significance as a public health measure, vaccination is a sophisticated example of modern biotechnology. Since vaccination gives the human body an ability that it does not naturally possess, the question arises as to its classification as Human Enhancement.

Main Body

Exemplified on a selection of different definitions, we conclude that vaccinations may indeed be classified and treated as a form of Human Enhancement. This raises some ethical issues that are notorious in the broad field of Human Enhancement. A study with N = 67 participants revealed that vaccinations are perceived neither as a clear nor poor example of Human Enhancement.

Conclusion

We argue that qualifying vaccination technology as Human Enhancement does not provide convincing arguments to reject vaccination. By examining the Human Enhancement debate and the similarities to the issue of vaccination shown here, policymakers can learn valuable lessons regarding mass vaccination programs’ current and future handling.
GND Keywords: COVID-19; Impfung; Politik; Medizinische Ethik; Enhancement <medizinische Ethik>
Keywords: Vaccination, Human enhancement, Ethics, Psychology, Public Health, Policy making, Politics, Pandemic
DDC Classification: 150 Psychology  
RVK Classification: YD 8600   
Peer Reviewed: Ja
International Distribution: Ja
Open Access Journal: Ja
Type: Article
URI: https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/52297
Release Date: 16. February 2022

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