Public Health
Civil law regulation and criminal enforcement of mandatory vaccination policies: A comparative aspectRéglementation civile et application pénale des politiques de vaccination obligatoire : Un aspect comparatif

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddro.2020.11.002Get rights and content

Abstract

One of the most important tasks of any state is to provide everyone, including the child, with the opportunity for a healthy and fulfilling life. Processes of immunisation through vaccination are considered most appropriate for the prevention of infectious diseases. The purpose of this study is to understand the legal regulation of immunisation of the population and to give it a legal assessment, to review the legal acts on vaccination in different countries of the world and to identify the legal tendencies of resolving conflicts in the field of vaccination on the basis of court decisions. As a result of the research the prospective directions of work of civil and criminal regulation of vaccination of children, regulation of the right to education for children who have not been vaccinated, the lawsuits, petitions and court decisions regarding the population response to vaccinations were analysed. The authors of the study conclude on the methods of introducing mandatory vaccination of children, the development of new criminal legislation to protect rights and freedoms.

Résumé

L’une des tâches les plus importantes de tout État est de fournir à chacun, y compris l’enfant, la possibilité de mener une vie saine et épanouissante. Les processus d’immunisation par vaccination sont considérés comme les plus appropriés pour la prévention des maladies infectieuses. Le but de cette étude est de comprendre la réglementation de l’immunisation de la population, de passer en revue les textes réglementant la vaccination dans différents pays et d’identifier les modes de résolution — éventuellement judiciaires — des conflits dans le domaine de la vaccination. La réglementation civile et pénale de la vaccination des enfants, le droit à l’éducation pour les enfants non vaccinés, les poursuites judiciaires, les décisions de justice concernant la réponse de la population aux vaccinations ont été analysées. Les auteurs de l’étude concluent sur les méthodes d’introduction de la vaccination obligatoire des enfants, le développement d’une nouvelle législation pénale pour protéger les droits et les libertés.

Section snippets

Statistics and global trends in vaccine prevention

Undoubtedly, one can argue for international, political, national advocacy in favour of vaccination. This is evidenced by many factors. In particular, the World Health Organisation insists on vaccination of 95% of children (100% of coverage cannot be for contraindications for various reasons). In its annual list of global threats to humanity, the organisation also made a waiver of vaccination. This list states that vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent disease, as it

Situation in the European Union

In the field of health care, the most important policy area is the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases because they are widespread. Without proper legal regulation, it is impossible to ensure the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Therefore, an important condition and an integral part of effective state policy is the formation of a proper legislative framework, because, first of all, the legal field defines its bases, the basic parameters and factors are formed, and

Case law of the European Court of Human Rights in vaccination cases

As it can be seen, the relevance of this topic lies in two problematic planes. The first concerns regulatory conflict, the second concerns public and private interests. In order to overcome the first reason, it is necessary to harmonise the national legislation, in order to solve the second – it is necessary to establish what is more important: public or private interests? This question is more philosophical-legal than purely legal, but the authors will try to find the answer to it in the case

Conclusions

The above allows us to conclude the legal regulation of compulsory vaccination. Mandatory vaccination against certain diseases (in the legal sense) is the exception rather than the rule in European countries. In most European countries (except France, Italy, Greece, Great Britain) vaccination is voluntary, and high rates of immunization of the population are achieved by educational companies and so on. According to the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, states have the discretion

Disclosure of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interest.

References (28)

  • M. Chan et al.

    Reaching everyone, everywhere with life-saving vaccines

    Lancet

    (2017)
  • I.O. Fedyak et al.

    Focus on vaccination: the view of doctors and parents and an analysis of its pharmaceutical provision for managed pediatric bacterial infections

    Pharm J

    (2018)
  • O. Gorbachenko

    Immunisation as a pledge of epidemic well-being of the population

    Libr Fam Doct Fam Nurse

    (2016)
  • N.V. Hendel

    International legal regulation of state cooperation in the field of health care

    (2014)
  • I.S. Demchenko et al.

    Compulsory vaccination regulations: pros and cons

    J Kiev Univ Law

    (2017)
  • D. Mykytenko et al.

    Problematic issues of liability for damage caused by vaccination

    Scient J “ΛΌГOΣ”. Art Sci Mind

    (2018)
  • Ten threats to global health in 2019

    (2019)
  • How vaccinations are done to children in 25 countries: vaccination waivers and penalties

    (2017)
  • Trump lays groundwork to ban mandatory vaccinations across U.S.

    (2018)
  • D. Figueroa

    Italy: vaccinations for children made mandatory

    (2017)
  • The Ministry of Health has suggested blocking sites with calls for refusal of vaccinations

    (2019)
  • A. Alizar

    YouTube has disabled advertising for anti-vaccines

    (2019)
  • The head of the Ministry of Health of Georgia called on everyone to vaccinate against measles

    (2019)
  • Agnès Buzyn, Minister of Solidarity and Health specifies the implementation of the 11 essential vaccinations, 2018,...
  • View full text