Abstract
In March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and there was a worldwide race to find an effective drug and/or vaccine. I present the Jewish ethical approach to two quandaries facing researchers: What is the acceptable degree of risk to the sick and to the healthy volunteers who participate in tests of an experimental vaccine? Is it permissible for a healthy person to volunteer for clinical trials? My conclusions are that a higher degree of risk is permissible in life-threatening situations, and it is right and proper that healthy people may volunteer even it involves exposing themselves to danger.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 416-427 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Theology and Science |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2022 |
Keywords
- COVID-19
- Jewish medical ethics
- clinical trials
- vaccine
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Religious studies
- History and Philosophy of Science