“The decision by a pregnant registered nurse to lose her job rather than receive flu vaccination required by her employer highlights an aspect of today’s “vaccine wars.” Even in healthcare, there are clinicians who fear that vaccines do more harm than good. Meanwhile, an increasing number of healthcare organizations require their employees to get the flu vaccine, although their policies vary widely, which creates confusion. This story also points out the tension between the goals of public health and professional autonomy. Several organizations that represent nurses–the American Nurses Association, for one–encourage their members to get vaccinated against the flu, but oppose making it mandatory. Pregnancy puts a woman at greater risk of influenza-related complications, illustrated by the story of a pregnant woman who died of influenza after not having been vaccinated.”
