Medico-Legal and Bioethical Implications of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control Strategies

Dear Colleagues,

As recently declared by the World Health Organization, the end of the pandemic COVID-19 is "in sight". It is undeniable that the pandemic caught the health systems of the world unprepared, even the most economically viable. The lack of a priori unique epidemiological protocols for the prevention and management of spreading infectious diseases of unknown origin (such as SARS-CoV-2) forced the use of prevention and control strategies based on empirical evidence. This has inevitably raised a number of bioethical issues (for example, the criteria for compulsory vaccination, the priority of access to treatment, and the severe social and work restrictions imposed during the first pandemic phase). In addition, the pandemic experience—in addition to highlighting widespread vaccination hesitation—has highlighted medico-legal issues regarding informed consent to compulsory vaccination and the need for parental consent in minors. Additionally, in reference to vaccines, the need to contain pandemic infection has opened the way for the first time to human challenge studies, the subject of intense bioethical debate. Finally, the pandemic has brought to light important medical–legal criticisms in the management of nosocomial infections, as well as to inhomogeneity in recognizing the infection contracted in the workplace as either an "occupational disease" or "accident".

The delicate epidemiological situation that we have faced necessarily constitutes, on the one hand, an opportunity to discuss the bioethical and medico-legal implications of the management and preventive strategies adopted, and, on the other hand, a starting point for formulating strategies and protocols useful for coping with infectious diseases.

Hence, this Special Issue of Vaccines, entitled “Medico-Legal and Bioethical Implications of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control Strategies”, aims to open a scientific debate on bioethical and medico-legal issues related to the prevention and management of infectious diseases, as well as possible new applicable strategies.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews, as well as short communications, are welcome. Possibile topics inlude, but are not limited to:

• Studies on the definition and management of infectious diseases;
• Research on compulsory vaccinations and the need for informed consent and parental consent for minors;
• Studies to outline the professional responsibility of the health professional and health facilities in case of adverse reactions to compulsory vaccinations;
• Studies that highlight the bioethical and medico-legal implications of human challenge studies;
• Research on the protection of workers in the event of infectious diseases at work and their medico-legal classification;
• Studies proposing new interventions and protocols for the prevention and management of infectious diseases.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Andrea Cioffi
Dr. Camilla Cecannecchia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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