Opt-out vaccination in school and daycare: Reconciling parental authority and obligations

Didde Boisen Andersen; Viki Møller Lyngby Pedersen

doi:10.1111/bioe.13344

Opt-out vaccination in school and daycare: Reconciling parental authority and obligations

Didde Boisen Andersen^*, Viki Møller Lyngby Pedersen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

An increasing vaccine hesitancy among parents, which has resulted in insufficient rates of immunization, provides reason to reconsider childhood vaccination practices. Studies suggest that parents' decision-making process concerning whether to vaccinate their child is highly influenced by cognitive biases. These biases can be utilized to increase vaccination uptake via changes in the choice context. This article considers childhood vaccination programmes, which involve children being vaccinated in school or daycare unless their parents actively ‘opt out’. We suggest that such programmes reconcile parents' decisional authority and vaccination duties. First, opt-out childhood vaccination based in schools or daycare centres are not disrespectful of parental authority. Second, the programme aligns the default setting with a moral obligation to vaccinate one's child that most parents have.

Original language	English
Journal	Bioethics
Volume	38
Issue	9
Pages (from-to)	816-822
Number of pages	7
ISSN	0269-9702
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.13344
Publication status	Published - Nov 2024

Keywords

childhood vaccination
easy rescue
nudging
opt-out
parental authority
school-based vaccination

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10.1111/bioe.13344Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

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abstract = "An increasing vaccine hesitancy among parents, which has resulted in insufficient rates of immunization, provides reason to reconsider childhood vaccination practices. Studies suggest that parents' decision-making process concerning whether to vaccinate their child is highly influenced by cognitive biases. These biases can be utilized to increase vaccination uptake via changes in the choice context. This article considers childhood vaccination programmes, which involve children being vaccinated in school or daycare unless their parents actively {\textquoteleft}opt out{\textquoteright}. We suggest that such programmes reconcile parents' decisional authority and vaccination duties. First, opt-out childhood vaccination based in schools or daycare centres are not disrespectful of parental authority. Second, the programme aligns the default setting with a moral obligation to vaccinate one's child that most parents have.",

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Opt-out vaccination in school and daycare: Reconciling parental authority and obligations

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Keywords

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