Rabbi Yuval Cherlow: 'Can Israel ethically produce an additional coronavirus vaccine?'

• Author: Arutz Sheva Staff
• Published date: 15 March 2021
• Date: 15 March 2021
• Publication title: Israel National News (Israel)

The online conference, produced in cooperation with UNESCO, was attended by over 1,500 medical, academic and religious leaders from around the world.

Rabbi Cherlow, who has been active in advising multiple government and hospital ethics committees on issues relating to patient care throughout the coronavirus crisis, said that perhaps more than ever before, ethical decisions have forced choices between what is medically advisable and what might best serve social or financial interests.

Rabbi Cherlow traced the evolution of these dilemmas from the initial outbreak of the crisis, where questions focused on how medical equipment would be allocated, to the more recent challenge of how vaccines could be ethically distributed.

"In every stage of this continuing global battle against COVID-19 we have been forced to ask ethical questions regarding whether we should solely act based on what is the best medical avenue or whether we need to address social concerns like whether public and government officials might deserve enhanced access because they have a certain importance in society," he explained. "The ethical imperative is certainly to favor medical considerations but there is no denying that this crisis has introduced tensions to favor social or even financial considerations like never before."

With regards to vaccination development and distribution, Rabbi Cherlow said these dueling interests often positioned governments against private industry: "While private companies might have the resources, logistics and experience to produce and deliver vaccines more quickly and effectively, they are also driven by financial interest which could impact on best ethical practice by being enticed to favor richer nations and communities over poorer ones. Ethical practice demands putting those considerations aside."

While...