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Informed consent for children

Claude Ecoffey1, Bernard Dalens

  • 1Department of Anaesthesia and Surgical, Intensive Care 2, Pontchaillou Hospital, University of Rennes, France. cEcoffey.rennes@invivo.edu

Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|October 6, 2006
PubMed

Insights

In pediatric healthcare, a child

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric healthcare ethics
  • Medical law and ethics
  • Child and adolescent health

Background:

  • Informed consent is a cornerstone of the physician-child/parent relationship, prioritizing ethical communication.
  • Historically, consent in pediatrics has been complex, balancing parental rights with the child's evolving autonomy.
  • Ethical considerations often outweigh legal requirements in pediatric consent discussions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the complexities of obtaining consent in pediatric healthcare.
  • To examine the age of competence for giving consent and the role of parental consent.
  • To discuss child assent and refusal in clinical research and healthcare decisions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of ethical and legal frameworks for pediatric consent.
  • Analysis of key themes including competence, parental roles, and research participation.
  • Exploration of moral viewpoints on minor decision-making capacity.

Main Results:

  • The age of competence and parental roles are central to pediatric consent.
  • Child assent and refusal in research participation present unique ethical challenges.
  • Existing legal frameworks for consent in pediatrics are complex and varied.

Conclusions:

  • Minors with decision-making capacity should be involved in their healthcare, irrespective of age.
  • Ethical practice supports shared decision-making, even when parental consent is legally required.
  • Reconciling legal requirements with the moral imperative of respecting a child's autonomy is crucial.
Abstract

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