title: Refugees, humanitarian aid and the right to decline vaccinations.
abstract: Recent instances of governments and others refusing humanitarian assistance to refugees and IDPs (internally-displaced persons) unless they agreed to polio immunization for their children raise difficult ethical challenges. The authors argue that states have the right and a responsibility to require such vaccinations in instances where the serious vaccine-preventable disease(s) at issue threaten others, including local populations, humanitarian workers, and others in camps or support settings.
authors.affiliation: Population Health, Medical Ethics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Caplan
authors.affiliation: Population Health, Medical Ethics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Curry
mesh_terms: D000346:Afghanistan; D000533:Altruism; D002648:Child; D002961:Civil Rights / Q000941:ethics*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000941:ethics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014943:Global Health / Q000941:ethics; D006078:Government Programs / Q000941:ethics* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011634:Public Health / Q000941:ethics*; D012036:Refugees; D013593:Syria; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000941:ethics*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000941:ethics*
chemical_list: D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines
keywords: Ethics