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

Translational Medicine Communications

Claus-Christian Carbon¹  Niklas Alexander Döbler¹ 

[1] Department of General Psychology and Methodology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany;Research Group EPÆG (Ergonomics, Psychological Aesthetics, Gestalt), Bamberg, Germany;Bamberg Graduate School of Affective and Cognitive Sciences (BaGrACS), University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany;

关键词: Vaccination;    Human enhancement;    Ethics;    Psychology;    Public Health;    Policy making;    Politics;    Pandemic;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s41231-021-00104-2

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundVaccination 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 BodyExemplified 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.

【 授权许可】

CC BY