COVID-19 and the vaccine tax: An egalitarian, market-based approach to the global vaccine inequality

Andreas Albertsen

doi:10.1136/jme-2024-110109

COVID-19 and the vaccine tax: An egalitarian, market-based approach to the global vaccine inequality

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Political Science

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Comment/debate/letter to the editor › Research › peer-review

Abstract

The global inequality in the distribution of vaccines is unjust. As countries scrambled to ensure enough vaccines, the world's poorest were left to fend for themselves, and the generosity meant to mitigate this through COVAX was not sufficiently forthcoming. In light of this, I proposed a vaccine tax, which obligates those willing and able to pay to protect their own population to contribute to protecting those residing in the world's low-income countries. Petrovic has offered an important critique of this proposal, questioning both the fairness and the efficiency of the tax. However, when properly specified, the vaccine tax is not vulnerable to these critiques.

Original language	English
Article number	jme-2024-110109
Journal	Journal of Medical Ethics
Volume	50
Issue	11
ISSN	0306-6800
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/jme-2024-110109
Publication status	Published - 22 Oct 2024

Keywords

COVID-19
Ethics
Ethics- Medical
Philosophy- Medical
Public Policy
Vaccine tax

Access to Document

10.1136/jme-2024-110109

Cite this

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abstract = "The global inequality in the distribution of vaccines is unjust. As countries scrambled to ensure enough vaccines, the world's poorest were left to fend for themselves, and the generosity meant to mitigate this through COVAX was not sufficiently forthcoming. In light of this, I proposed a vaccine tax, which obligates those willing and able to pay to protect their own population to contribute to protecting those residing in the world's low-income countries. Petrovic has offered an important critique of this proposal, questioning both the fairness and the efficiency of the tax. However, when properly specified, the vaccine tax is not vulnerable to these critiques.",

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COVID-19 and the vaccine tax: An egalitarian, market-based approach to the global vaccine inequality. / Albertsen, Andreas.
In: Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol. 50, No. 11, jme-2024-110109, 22.10.2024.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Comment/debate/letter to the editor › Research › peer-review

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T1 - COVID-19 and the vaccine tax

T2 - An egalitarian, market-based approach to the global vaccine inequality

AU - Albertsen, Andreas

PY - 2024/10/22

Y1 - 2024/10/22

N2 - The global inequality in the distribution of vaccines is unjust. As countries scrambled to ensure enough vaccines, the world's poorest were left to fend for themselves, and the generosity meant to mitigate this through COVAX was not sufficiently forthcoming. In light of this, I proposed a vaccine tax, which obligates those willing and able to pay to protect their own population to contribute to protecting those residing in the world's low-income countries. Petrovic has offered an important critique of this proposal, questioning both the fairness and the efficiency of the tax. However, when properly specified, the vaccine tax is not vulnerable to these critiques.

AB - The global inequality in the distribution of vaccines is unjust. As countries scrambled to ensure enough vaccines, the world's poorest were left to fend for themselves, and the generosity meant to mitigate this through COVAX was not sufficiently forthcoming. In light of this, I proposed a vaccine tax, which obligates those willing and able to pay to protect their own population to contribute to protecting those residing in the world's low-income countries. Petrovic has offered an important critique of this proposal, questioning both the fairness and the efficiency of the tax. However, when properly specified, the vaccine tax is not vulnerable to these critiques.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Ethics

KW - Ethics- Medical

KW - Philosophy- Medical

KW - Public Policy

KW - Vaccine tax

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U2 - 10.1136/jme-2024-110109

DO - 10.1136/jme-2024-110109

M3 - Comment/debate/letter to the editor

C2 - 38825362

AN - SCOPUS:85195555149

SN - 0306-6800

VL - 50

JO - Journal of Medical Ethics

JF - Journal of Medical Ethics

IS - 11

M1 - jme-2024-110109

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COVID-19 and the vaccine tax: An egalitarian, market-based approach to the global vaccine inequality

Abstract

Keywords

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What is mine to give, but not to sell: The moral limits of the market

A vaccine tax: ensuring a more equitable global vaccine distribution

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COVID-19 and the vaccine tax: An egalitarian, market-based approach to the global vaccine inequality

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

What is mine to give, but not to sell: The moral limits of the market

Research output

A vaccine tax: ensuring a more equitable global vaccine distribution

Cite this