Is there protection for Canadians other than Quebec?
Canada, has purchased more vaccines per capita than any other country, but there is a lingering policy gap.
What happens in the instance that an individual should suffer an adverse event from the vaccine?
COVID-19 vaccines will have to meet regulatory standards for safety and efficacy, but may not detect all side-effects in Phase 3 trials.
There are real ethical challenges in encouraging everyone to be vaccinated without providing any support for adverse events that may occur as a result.
People who sustain harm while contributing to herd immunity should be supported by a national no-fault vaccine injury program that would provide a straightforward path to compensation.
Notably, Canada is alone among G7 nations in not having a vaccine injury compensation program, although the province of Quebec does have one. At least 25 jurisdictions around the world have such programs, including countries such as Vietnam and Nepal.
No-fault compensation programs make sense for several reasons.
If someone is injured in the process of partaking in a perceived public good, they should be provided with just compensation.
An initial target group will be front-line workers who care for vulnerable populations.
There will be the pressure of expectation — if not the outright requirement — that they be vaccinated.
It would be unjust and antithetical that these workers, if in the instance they suffer a possible adverse event, would be left on their own.
Canada should address this gap in vaccination policy before COVID-19 vaccines are experimented with.