Persuasion, not coercion or incentivisation, is the best means of promoting COVID-19 vaccination

Journal article


Pennings, Susan and Symons, Xavier. (2021). Persuasion, not coercion or incentivisation, is the best means of promoting COVID-19 vaccination. Journal of Medical Ethics. 47(10), pp. 709-711. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-107076
AuthorsPennings, Susan and Symons, Xavier
Abstract

Savulescu (forthcoming) argues that it may be ethically acceptable for governments to require citizens be vaccinated against COVID-19. He also recommends that governments consider providing monetary or in-kind incentives to citizens to increase vaccination rates. In this response, we argue against mandatory vaccination and vaccine incentivisation, and instead suggest that targeted public health messaging and a greater responsiveness to the concerns of vaccine-hesitant individuals would be the best strategy to address low vaccination rates.

KeywordsCOVID-19; vaccination; incentivisation; public health ethics; informed consent; persuasion
Year01 Jan 2021
JournalJournal of Medical Ethics
Journal citation47 (10), pp. 709-711
PublisherBMJ Publishing Group
ISSN0306-6800
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-107076
Web address (URL)https://jme.bmj.com/content/47/10/709
Open accessPublished as non-open access
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range709-711
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online22 Sep 2021
Publication process dates
Accepted24 Dec 2020
Deposited14 Nov 2024
Additional information

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/910y7/persuasion-not-coercion-or-incentivisation-is-the-best-means-of-promoting-covid-19-vaccination

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 4
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Why conscience matters : A theory of conscience and its relevance to conscientious objection in medicine
Symons, Xavier. (2023). Why conscience matters : A theory of conscience and its relevance to conscientious objection in medicine. Res Publica. 29(1), pp. 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11158-022-09555-2
Conscientious objection in health care : Why the professional duty argument is unconvincing
Symons, Xavier. (2022). Conscientious objection in health care : Why the professional duty argument is unconvincing. The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy. 47(4), pp. 549-557. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmp/jhac013
Vulnerability and resilience : Phenomenological analysis of cancer patients value directives
Michael, Natasha, Symons, Xavier, Mendz, George L. and Kissane, David. (2022). Vulnerability and resilience : Phenomenological analysis of cancer patients value directives. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 64(5), pp. 438-448. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.07.015
An ethical defense of a mandated choice consent procedure for deceased organ donation
Symons, Xavier and Poulden, Billy. (2022). An ethical defense of a mandated choice consent procedure for deceased organ donation. Asian Bioethics Review. 14(3), pp. 259-270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41649-022-00206-5
The Content, Teaching Methods and Effectiveness of Spiritual Care Training for Healthcare Professionals : A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review
Jones, Kate Fiona, Paal, Piret, Symons, Xavier and Best, Megan C.. (2021). The Content, Teaching Methods and Effectiveness of Spiritual Care Training for Healthcare Professionals : A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 62(3), pp. 261-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.03.013
Why should HCWs receive priority access to vaccines in a pandemic?
Symons, Xavier, Matthews, Stephen Crawford and Tobin, Bernadette Margaret. (2021). Why should HCWs receive priority access to vaccines in a pandemic? BMC Medical Ethics. 22(1), pp. 79-88. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-021-00650-2
Respect for persons and the allocation of lifesaving healthcare resources
Symons, Xavier. (2021). Respect for persons and the allocation of lifesaving healthcare resources. Bioethics. 35(5), pp. 392-399. https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.12857
Reflective disequilibrium : A critical evaluation of the complete lives framework for healthcare rationing
Symons, Xavier. (2021). Reflective disequilibrium : A critical evaluation of the complete lives framework for healthcare rationing. Journal of Medical Ethics. 47(2), pp. 108-112. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-106626
Rationing, responsibility and blameworthiness : An ethical evaluation of responsibility-sensitive policies for healthcare rationing
Symons, Xavier and Chua, Reginald. (2021). Rationing, responsibility and blameworthiness : An ethical evaluation of responsibility-sensitive policies for healthcare rationing. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal. 31(1), pp. 53-76. https://doi.org/10.1353/ken.2021.0004
‘Alive by default’ : An exploration of Velleman’s unfair burdens argument against state sanctioned euthanasia
Symons, Xavier and Chua, Reginald. (2020). ‘Alive by default’ : An exploration of Velleman’s unfair burdens argument against state sanctioned euthanasia. Bioethics. 34(3), pp. 288-294. https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.12677
Pellegrino, MacIntyre, and the internal morality of clinical medicine
Symons, Xavier. (2019). Pellegrino, MacIntyre, and the internal morality of clinical medicine. Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics. 40(3), pp. 243-251. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11017-019-09487-8
Patients' and caregivers' contested perspectives on spiritual care for those affected by advanced illnesses : A qualitative descriptive study
O'Callaghan, Clare, Brooker, Joanne, de Silva, William, Glenister, David, Melia, Cert Adelaide, Symons, Xavier, Kissane, David and Michael, Natasha. (2019). Patients' and caregivers' contested perspectives on spiritual care for those affected by advanced illnesses : A qualitative descriptive study. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 58(6), pp. 977-988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2019.08.004
Meeting needs and respecting persons : An ethical framework for the allocation of lifesaving healthcare interventions
Symons, Xavier. (2019). Meeting needs and respecting persons : An ethical framework for the allocation of lifesaving healthcare interventions [PhD Thesis]. Australian Catholic University School of Philosophy https://doi.org/10.26199/acu.8vyv1
Organismal death, the dead-donor rule and the ethics of vital organ procurement
Symons, Xavier and Chua, Reginald Mary. (2018). Organismal death, the dead-donor rule and the ethics of vital organ procurement. Journal of Medical Ethics. 44(12), pp. 868-871. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2018-104796
Rawls, reasonableness, and conscientious objection in health care
Symons, Xavier. (2018). Rawls, reasonableness, and conscientious objection in health care. In In Grant, Bligh, Drew, Joseph and Christensen, Helen E. (Ed.). Applied ethics in the fractured state : Volume 20 pp. 45-54 Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1529-209620180000020004
Extending awareness of Catholic healthcare ethics among junior clinicians : A qualitative study
O’Callaghan, Clare, Trimboli, Julia, Symons, Xavier, Staples, Margaret, Patterson, Emma and Michael, Natasha. (2018). Extending awareness of Catholic healthcare ethics among junior clinicians : A qualitative study. Journal of Religion and Health. 57(4), pp. 1440-1450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0519-5
Does the doctrine of double effect apply to the prescription of barbiturates? Syme vs the Medical Board of Australia
Symons, Xavier. (2018). Does the doctrine of double effect apply to the prescription of barbiturates? Syme vs the Medical Board of Australia. Journal of Medical Ethics. 44(4), pp. 266-269. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2017-104230
The right to know versus the right to privacy : Donor anonymity and the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Amendment Act 2016 (Vic)
Symons, Xavier. (2017). The right to know versus the right to privacy : Donor anonymity and the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Amendment Act 2016 (Vic). Medical Journal of Australia. 207(9), pp. 377-378. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja17.00259