Ethical dimension of research aimed at development and application of COVID-19 vaccine

Abstract

The recent pandemics unleashed by SARS-CoV-2 has given rise to a COVID-19 vaccine race and once again raised moral questions that are valid with every research and study carried out to find a vaccine for infectious diseases from which we still lack protection. This Article presents ethical problems related to the process of developing the vaccine at the research and development stage as well as ethical issues concerning distribution and availability of the vaccine once it is available on the market. International documents, i.a. of the World Health Organization and the Church as well as the discussion taking place in bioethical circles indicate that the topic is of crucial importance and should not be overlooked at the stage of research and development for a new vaccine. The paper outlines the most important ethical issues related to it: risk proportionality, informed consent to participate in an experiment, the use of biological material of illicit origin, the question of methodology and organization of medical research during pandemics, the issue of controlled infection of volunteers with the virus, ethical and social dilemmas related to availability and use of the vaccine, especially for the poor – people and countries. An overview of ethical concerns related to development of COVID-19 vaccine, human clinical trials and the vaccination phase during pandemics illustrate the complexity of this issue and its need for an interdisciplinary approach.