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KYW Medical Report: Is it ethical to fill a no-show vaccine appointment?

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — You've heard the story before: Many people got the COVID-19 vaccine just by the luck of extra doses.

It happens more than you may expect: A package of vaccine, especially a temperature-dependent one like Pfizer, is opened, and the vaccination site reports some no-shows. Rather than waste the vaccine, they say "call your friends, call somebody."


Is that ethical?

Some of those last-minute patients technically weren't eligible, and they technically jumped the line. But this isn't immoral because it prevents wastage.

Wasting vaccine is immoral when every dose is a premium. And, scheduling needs to be precise, but if it happens that there is an extra dose, grab it if asked.