In view of the increasing number of articles speculating on future “vaccine passport” requirements for travel and other aspects of participating in society, we want to remind everyone of UNESCO’s 2005 Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights.

Article 6 is especially important:

“Any preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic medical intervention is only to be carried out with the prior, free and informed consent of the person concerned, based on adequate information. The consent should, where appropriate, be express and MAY BE WITHDRAWN BY THE PRESON CONCERNED AT ANY TIME AND FOR ANY REASON WITHOUT DISADVANTAGE OR PREJUDICE.” (caps ours)

and

“In no case should a collective community agreement or the consent of a community leader or other authority substitute for an individual’s informed consent.”

Here is a shortened link to the full document: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=31058&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Please remind your family, your friends, your colleagues, your legislators, your medical care providers, and your religious leaders of the superlatively important BASIC RIGHT to decline invasive medical intervention, free from browbeating, intimidation, or coercion — and that this right was codified by the United Nations in 2005.