Rainer Ebert (USA/Germany/South Africa/everywhere) has just published a new article on the topic of animal products, such as gelatine, in medicines in the journal Asian Bioethics Review (Springer).
- The text argues that ethical vegans have a strong autonomy-based moral right to know whether medications contain animal-derived ingredients, because such ingredients can conflict with deeply held moral beliefs and affect informed consent.
- The text states this issue is important to ethical vegans but often remains unaddressed by medication labels, pharmaceutical companies (medicine manufacturers), and the health care systems/clinicians.
- In turn, this problem increases the distress suffered by ethical vegan with an illness that requires medication. Additionally, it may often lead to nonadherence (vegans not taking the medicine) and impaired trust in health care professionals.
- Because of this, manufacturers of medications should label ingredients more clearly and aim to replace animal-derived excipients where possible. Physicians and medical schools should proactively address the issue of prescribing medicine to ethical vegans.
