Did New Zealand Just Break the Nuremberg Code?

By: Paul Staley

A video came across my newsfeed this weekend, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was in a media scrum, speaking about vaccinating citizens. She can be seen talking about how “it is my expectation” that all front-line workers get vaccinated for their safety. She goes on to say that the time was up that was allotted to them to do their research on the vaccine, for them to feel comfortable to make a decision. Later in the video, she talks about how the time is up and those who have not made the decision to vaccinate will move “into another role”. You can see the video below.

This brings on some questions. What if they don’t want to be moved into different roles? What if it is recommended by a doctor to not get this vaccine? You may also ask, is this not coercion? You see in the Nuremberg code, coercion is clearly stated as a violation. The code states the following:

The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. This means that the person involved should have the legal capacity to give consent; should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, overreaching, or other ulterior forms of constraint or coercion; and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved as to enable him to make an understanding and enlightened decision. This latter element requires that before the acceptance of an affirmative decision by the experimental subject there should be made known to him the nature, duration, and purpose of the experiment; the method and means by which it is to be conducted; all inconveniences and hazards reasonably to be expected; and the effects upon his health or person which may possibly come from his participation in the experiment. You can see the entirety of the document here: https://media.tghn.org/medialibrary/2011/04/BMJ_No_7070_Volume_313_The_Nuremberg_Code.pdf

From a legal perspective, and I assure you I am no expert. I’d imagine you’d need to definitively state that it is an experiment as clearly outlined in the code. The vaccine is still technically in trial stages until 2023, where long-term data will have been collected so there may be a case to be made there.

On top of that, I believe you would have to prove you were coerced. Doing this by stating you didn’t want to move roles in your workplace, and could only keep your role if you received the vaccine could potentially fall in line with that.

This is somewhat shocking news coming out of New Zealand who has been many pro “lock-downer’s” go-to example this past year as to the value of lock-downs, despite the fact they have had to revisit them numerous times during the pandemic. As of the writing of this article, almost 550,000 views are on the video. I imagine there will be a lot of questions and backlash in regards to these statements in the coming days.

So did New Zealand violate The Nuremberg Code?

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