Description

Plague, Smallpox, Yellow Fever, Malaria, Influenza, Polio, Tuberculosis (TB), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Ebola, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) are some of the diseases that have devastated humanity over the last several centuries and in some cases longer. Antibiotic resistance, the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa, the current outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil, and seasonal influenza are some of the frequently reported reminders of the perilous relationship humans have with the microbes of this world. As the global population increases, crowding becomes more common, and international travel more frequent, the risk pathogens pose to the global population rises. The relative isolation much of the globe experienced only a few centuries ago is diminishing and as such our ability to control the spread of infectious diseases is being challenged. The need for infectious disease control policy that is responsive, effective, and adaptive, is apparent. However, ethical issues concerning infectious disease control mustn't be ignored and must be incorporated into any reasonable policy. Weighing up individual rights against the need to protect the greater society is a difficult task; leaning too far in either direction is to neglect the proper ethical analysis of the problem at hand. The purpose of this paper is to create an ethical framework to be used during infectious disease control. Though I will criticise aspects of current policy, the framework is not necessarily intended to be used instead of current policy, but in addition to current policy. I hope to offer a framework that allows for the flexibility needed when dealing with both known and novel - or little-known - pathogens, whilst allowing for the incorporation of well-established policy with regards to well-known pathogens. I hope to achieve this whilst maintaining a high degree of ethical consideration. The major questions I will address are: 1) When, if ever, is it okay to use experimental treatment? 2) When is quarantine/isolation ethically justified?1 3) What are the key ethical principles to adhere to when it comes to infectious disease control?