Medical treatment of children with HIV/AIDS

In the last issue of the Newsletter, we reported on the case of a Montréal woman who sought an injunction from the Québec Superior Court to prevent physicians from administering antiretroviral medication to her HIV-positive sons, of whom she had previously lost custody because of her refusal to consent to such medication. In December 1999, the Court of Québec (Youth Division) heard the mother's application to regain custody and an application by the Director of Youth Protection for an order declaring that the children were in need of protection, as well as an order that the children be placed in the physical custody of another family for a period of two years, that the authority to make decisions regarding the children's medical care be removed from the mother and placed with the Director of Youth Protection, and that the children receive the necessary medications and diet. The Court issued its decision on 12 January 2000.