Abstract
This article attempts to review a few of the most pressing questions that have been discussed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. The general questions concerning research of potentially dangerous viruses, the ethical issued connected to the clinical trials that are undergone, as well as the relationship between benefits and risks involved in vaccine research are considered. The characteristics of the present emergency situation causes sometimes the ethical principles to be adapted. Therefore, those who chose to modify the ethical principles must act in a responsible way, even if this responsibility is of a moral nature, instead of a juridical one.
Highlights
The novel coronavirus that leads to the COVID-19 disease has brought about a situation that forced us, as a society, to take some unprecedented global measures in order to limit its spread
As in any global pandemic, the actual number of cases is probably under-reported, and scientists estimate the number of real cases to be at least 10 times bigger (Javan et al, 2020)
Concerning the existing research directed towards finding an effective cure for the ongoing and future COVID-19 patients, there are researchers claiming that not involving current patients in rigorous clinical trials represents both wasting valuable resources and subjecting vulnerable persons to unnecessary risks
Summary
The novel coronavirus that leads to the COVID-19 disease has brought about a situation that forced us, as a society, to take some unprecedented global measures in order to limit its spread. If the biggest thing to avoid when assessing the unknown is epistemic biases and over-confidence (Angner, 2020; Koriat, Lichtenstein & Fischhoff, 1980, 108), as philosophers we can attempt to counter them by critically scrutinizing all the claims we make, and being prepared to retract them when proved wrong by future developments. This is a caveat I am willing to assume – so consider yourselves warned
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