title: Ethics and immunization policy: promoting dialogue to sustain consensus.
abstract: The societal consensus that has supported the United States' universal childhood immunization programs for the past 50 years shows signs of eroding. This article proposes a systematic approach to evaluate immunization policy options. Through a unifying framework that combines epidemiologic, economic, and ethical concerns, this approach promotes a clearer understanding of underlying issues and inherent tradeoffs between alternative policies. Such a systematic examination of policy options could facilitate the public dialogue necessary to continually recreate a broad consensus on immunization practices and enable us to choose policies most in accord with our fundamental values.
authors.affiliation: Child Health Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feudtner
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Marcuse
mesh_terms: D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000592:standards*; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000592:standards; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards*; D011050:Policy Making; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014481:United States