Zeke Emanuel and Group of International Researchers Develop Ethical Framework for Global Vaccine Allocation

Once a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine has been developed, how should it be distributed globally in the most fair and equitable way? Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy, worked with a group of global experts to develop the “Fair Priority Model,” which provides the framework for an ethical distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. Find the paper here and Penn's press release here. Some of the media coverage can be found here: Scientific American, Slate, Inverse, Fierce Healthcare, Raw Story.

Their Fair Priority Model, which is explained in greater detail in their paper, has 3 main phases:

Phase 1: reduce premature deaths and other irreversible direct and indirect health impacts

Phase 2: address enduring health harms and reduce serious economic and social deprivations such as the closure of nonessential businesses and schools

Phase 3: reduce community transmission