Patient autonomy regarding the COVID-19 vaccine

Abstract

Amidst the serious public health crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination became a key measure to combat the disease; however, vaccination refusal or hesitancy hinders the efforts to reach collective immunity. Such refusal is a right arising from patient autonomy and can be influenced by political factors, trust in governments, skepticism towards the pharmaceutical industry, and media exposure. Thus, knowledge of these aspects added to public health efforts is paramount to mitigate refusal and promote vaccination acceptance.