Vaccine Allocation Under Global Inequality

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep inequities in global vaccine distribution, as high-income countries secured early and surplus access while low- and middle-income countries faced prolonged shortages. Existing allocation mechanisms shaped by market forces and voluntary humanitarian initiatives failed to provide a just framework for equitable access. This paper applies John Rawls’s theory of justice, particularly the difference principle and the just savings principle, to evaluate global vaccine allocation practices and ethical shortcomings. By analysing current models such as the Fair Priority Model, the paper argues that treating vaccine equity as discretionary charity undermines justice within a global cooperative system. A Rawlsian perspective requires that inequalities in access and capacity be justified only as they benefit the least advantaged and sustain just institutions over time. On this basis, the paper proposes a set of justice-based reforms, including binding allocation obligations, temporary intellectual property waivers during global health emergencies, and the development of regional vaccine manufacturing capacity. Together, these measures aim to align global vaccine governance with principles of fairness, reciprocity, and intergenerational justice, strengthening both immediate pandemic response and long-term global health preparedness.