Modern medicine, influenced by social and economic conditions, greatly affects our quality of life.
Due to its significance, it raises ethical questions,
which are subjected to health policies, politics, law, and above all: human decency.
Respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and justice are principals
that apply values and judgements to the practice of medicine and related scientific research.
Main points of medical ethics can be described as:
- Beneficence – Practitioners should act in the best interest of the patient.
- Justice – Fairness and equality when deciding who gets a treatment, when distributing medical resources.
- Non-maleficence – “first, do no harm” (primum non-nocere).
- Respect for Persons – Patients and practitioners have the right to be treated with dignity.
- Truthfulness and Honesty – Significance of telling the truth about a medical treatment.
- Autonomy – The patient has the right to refuse or choose his or her treatment.
These principals, not ranked in order of importance,
evolved through history and are widely accepted in modern societies.
In many countries these values are part of the law.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) considers medical ethics.
Europe adopted the
European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (1997)
to create a uniform code of medical ethics for its 47 member-states.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
also promotes the protection of human rights and human dignity.
On 21th of January 2021, the Council of Europe held a parliamentary assembly on
Covid-19 vaccines: ethical, legal and practical considerations.
In response to the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,
member states of the European Union are preparing to force their citizens to take a COVID-19 vaccine.
It is highly unethical - and in many countries illegal -
for the government to force medical procedures on its citizens against their will.
European citizens were given the freedom to decide on vaccination, and this is how it has to be.
Those who chose vaccination did so of their own free will,
which is perfectly acceptable and our petition is not trying to hold back anyone to do so.
However, it is extremely unfair that some have been allowed to enjoy this freedom and others are being deprived of it.
This is not in line with the democratic principles that the European Union was built upon.
Individuals cannot be forced to take a vaccine by violence, law or by any other means,
including - but not limited to - removing ones livelihood by restrictions on employment,
health care, education, free movement, access or use of one's own assets, or to be fined.
A basic human right is the right to one's own body and the integrity thereof.
Ethical and moral questions matter even if there is a pandemic.
The main points of our petition are as follows:
- Medical ethics must be considered even during an epidemic or pandemic.
Autonomy - the right to refuse or choose a treatment - must be protected.
European law should respect the ability of the individual to make informed decisions about personal matters with freedom.
- Citizens cannot be forced by any European governments to take a vaccine by violence, law or by any other means,
including - but not limited to - removing ones livelihood by restrictions on employment,
health care, education, free movement, access or use of one's own assets, or to be fined.
- Employment discrimination, healthcare discrimination and education discrimination on vaccination must be prohibited.
- Parental decision-making on childhood vaccination.
Support our petition if you agree with the listed arguments!
Are there any more reasons?
Surely there are. There is great debate on COVID-19 vaccination which is a very broad topic.
However, the question of mandatory vaccination can be reduced to one fundamental point which cannot be neglected under any circumstances:
Autonomy
In our case, autonomy means the capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision by an individual.
Respect for patient autonomy is one of the many fundamental ethical principles in medicine.
A basic human right is the right to one's own body and the integrity thereof.
We are expected to make responsible decisions when it cames to modern medicine.
Doctors, manufacturers, healthcare institutions do have a high influence regarding this matter,
their input is needed for informed decision making.
But no matter how advanced a healthcare system is,
in the end it is up to the individual to decide whether to undergo a medical procedure or not.
The responsibility of the individual is undeniably important,
because nobody else could possibly make such a decision.
No other person or organization can be held fully responsible for this, or vice versa.
The current situation caused by the pandemic is undoubtedly severe,
and even if the vaccination seems to be a viable solution,
this is not a reason to completely take away the power of decision making from a European citizen.
Mandatory vaccination violates autonomy.
Take responsibility for your own health, because nobody else is going to care about it as much as yourself.
Is it too late to take action?
21th November, 2021
Greece authorised mandatory vaccination for over 60-year-olds.
6th January, 2022
Italy has announced that vaccinations for people aged above 50 years are mandatory as cases in the country are on the rise.
22th January, 2022
The National Council of Austria Thursday passed a bill making Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for all adults in the country.
The Austrian government first announced its plans for a country-wide vaccination mandate in November 2021,
merely days after imposing a lockdown that applied only to unvaccinated citizens.
This spurred huge protests across the country, forcing the government to make substantial changes to the proposed vaccination mandate.
The lower house of the parliament passed the bill’s final version by a 137-33 vote.
It is never too late to take action.
This is never going to be a lost case, or closed issue.
Such fundamental democratic principles must not be violated.
The only question is when the turnaround will happen.
Hundreds of thousands of Austrian citizens have demonstrated against the hugely unpopular mandate in weekend rallies
on an almost weekly basis since the measure was announced in November.
Critics of vaccine mandates have argued that such a move is highly unethical
and would marginalise considerable proportions of society who want to remain in control of their own health.
Austrian people are standing up for their rights.
This is the time to take action!
It seems that our decision-makers have to be reminded
that certain democratic principles must be respected at all times.
Even if there is a COVID-19 pandemic, medical autonomy cannot be set aside.
It is highly unethical for the government to force medical procedures on its citizens against their will.
Support our petition now!
Every pharmaceutical product has side-effects and may present a risk.
COVID-19 vaccines are no exception.
Regardless how rare a side-effect may be, there is a real and actual risk with every injection.
Our petition is not to question or discuss the effectiveness of the vaccination,
nor to cast doubt on the seriousness of the disease.
Leave it up to the individual to decide whether to take the risk of the disease or the risk of the vaccination.
Let the individual decide, even if the disease is considered much riskier than the cure.
European citizens were given the freedom to decide on vaccination, and this is how it has to be.
Those who chose vaccination did so of their own free will,
which is perfectly acceptable and our petition is not trying to hold back anyone to do so.
However, it is extremely unfair that some have been allowed to enjoy this freedom and others are being deprived of it.
Acceptance of ambiguity in medicine
Modern medicine has major impact on quality of life.
Diseases and injuries that a few generations ago people died of can now be cured thanks to modern medicine.
But modern medicine is not infallible and this is something that no one can deny.
Modern medicine has much to prove in this desperate situation.
Considering the technology we are trying to inhabit, ambiguity is a significant factor.
Most of them are still disputed technologies.
Society needs to accept the significance of debate in medicine,
views on a medical procedure have to be questioned and revised in certain cases.
Statement from World Health Organization
WHO: Mandatory vaccinations are a last resort
The World Health Organization warns against mandatory vaccinations unless all other options have been exhausted.
https://unric.org/en/who-mandatory-vaccinations-are-a-last-resort
27th January 2021, Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
The Council of Europe is an international organization to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.
The assembly debate about
Covid-19 vaccines: ethical, legal and practical considerations,
although vaccination has been considered as an essential measure of disease control, ruled on the ban on mandatory vaccination.
The related details from resolution resolution 2361/2021 are as follows:
- 7.3.1 ensure that citizens are informed that the vaccination is not mandatory and that no one is under political,
social or other pressure to be vaccinated if they do not wish to do so;
- 7.3.2 ensure that no one is discriminated against for not having been vaccinated,
due to possible health risks or not wanting to be vaccinated;
