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Controversies often surround the use of vaccines, particularly among the pediatric population. Often, the possible temporal relationship between vaccination and subsequent disease is at the center of the controversy. However, others have questioned the moral status of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine because of some instances of state coercion and also the possibility that the vaccine may promote promiscuity. This article addresses the moral status of the HPV vaccine from the perspective of a primary care physician and father of four daughters. Lay Summary:Parents are often asked by pediatricians for permission to vaccinate their children under the age of consent against the sexually transmitted virus HPV. This article addresses the medical and moral concerns about vaccination with some guiding principles to assist in a final decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practice of medicine has become increasingly focused on the care of the elderly due to demographic changes and an increase in human longevity. A number of diseases, most particularly dementia and vasculopathy, are much more common in geriatric patients. Ethical dilemmas related to justice (right patient/right care) and proportionality (benefit/burden analysis) are typical in this population. Two cases from clinical practice are utilized to demonstrate these ethical problems in real-world narratives and provide reasonable moral guidance rooted in the Catholic tradition. The author recognizes that there may be different clinical assessments based on practitioner experience and the medical literature, but asserts that the ethical principles derived are solidly defensible and universal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]