NEW YORK: At least 19 global health experts have proposed a new three-phase plan for vaccine distribution, called the Fair Priority Model, that aims to reduce premature deaths and other irreversible health consequences of Covid-19.
“The idea of distributing vaccines by population appears to be a fair strategy,” said the study’s lead author, Ezekiel J. Emanuel, of the University of Pennsylvania in the US.
“But the fact is that we normally distribute things based on the severity of suffering in a given location, and in this case we argue that the main measure of suffering should be the number of premature deaths that a vaccine would prevent.” “Emanuel added.
In their proposal, the authors point out three fundamental values that must be taken into account when distributing a Covid-19 vaccine between countries: benefit people and limit harm, prioritize the disadvantaged, and give equal moral concern to all people.
The Fair Priority Model addresses these values by focusing on mitigating three types of damage caused by Covid-19: Death and permanent organic damage, indirect health consequences, such as tension and stress in the health care system, as well as economic destruction. .
Of all these dimensions, preventing death, especially premature death, is particularly urgent, the authors argued, which is the focus of Phase 1 of the Fair Priority Model.
Premature deaths from Covid-19 are determined in each country by calculating the “expected standard life years lost,” a commonly used global health metric.
In Phase 2, the authors proposed two metrics that capture the overall economic improvement and the degree to which people would be saved from poverty.
And in Phase 3, countries with the highest transmission rates are initially prioritized, but all countries should eventually receive enough vaccines to stop transmission, which is projected to require between 60 and 70 percent of the population. population is immune.
The authors also oppose a plan that would prioritize countries according to the number of front-line health workers, the proportion of the population over 65, and the number of people with comorbidities within each country.
They said that preferentially immunizing healthcare workers, who already have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and other advanced methods of preventing infectious diseases, would likely not substantially reduce the damage in higher-income countries.
Similarly, focusing on vaccinating countries with older populations would not necessarily reduce the spread of the virus or minimize death.
Furthermore, low- and middle-income countries have fewer older residents and health workers per capita than higher-income countries, the researchers said.
The authors conclude that this model is the best embodiment of the ethical values of limiting harm, benefiting the disadvantaged, and recognizing equal concern for all people.
“The idea of distributing vaccines by population appears to be a fair strategy,” said the study’s lead author, Ezekiel J. Emanuel, of the University of Pennsylvania in the US.
“But the fact is that we normally distribute things based on the severity of suffering in a given location, and in this case we argue that the main measure of suffering should be the number of premature deaths that a vaccine would prevent.” “Emanuel added.
In their proposal, the authors point out three fundamental values that must be taken into account when distributing a Covid-19 vaccine between countries: benefit people and limit harm, prioritize the disadvantaged, and give equal moral concern to all people.
The Fair Priority Model addresses these values by focusing on mitigating three types of damage caused by Covid-19: Death and permanent organic damage, indirect health consequences, such as tension and stress in the health care system, as well as economic destruction. .
Of all these dimensions, preventing death, especially premature death, is particularly urgent, the authors argued, which is the focus of Phase 1 of the Fair Priority Model.
Premature deaths from Covid-19 are determined in each country by calculating the “expected standard life years lost,” a commonly used global health metric.
In Phase 2, the authors proposed two metrics that capture the overall economic improvement and the degree to which people would be saved from poverty.
And in Phase 3, countries with the highest transmission rates are initially prioritized, but all countries should eventually receive enough vaccines to stop transmission, which is projected to require between 60 and 70 percent of the population. population is immune.
The authors also oppose a plan that would prioritize countries according to the number of front-line health workers, the proportion of the population over 65, and the number of people with comorbidities within each country.
They said that preferentially immunizing healthcare workers, who already have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and other advanced methods of preventing infectious diseases, would likely not substantially reduce the damage in higher-income countries.
Similarly, focusing on vaccinating countries with older populations would not necessarily reduce the spread of the virus or minimize death.
Furthermore, low- and middle-income countries have fewer older residents and health workers per capita than higher-income countries, the researchers said.
The authors conclude that this model is the best embodiment of the ethical values of limiting harm, benefiting the disadvantaged, and recognizing equal concern for all people.
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