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Informed Consent, Parental Permission, and Assent in Pediatric Practice

Committee on Bioethics

A re-analysis of informed consent leads to the identification of important limitations and problems in its application to pediatric practice. Two additional concepts are needed: parental permission and patient assent. The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that in most cases, physicians have an ethical (and legal) obligation to obtain parental permission to undertaken recommended medical interventions. In many circumstances, physicians should also solicit a patient assent when developmentally appropriate. In cases involving emancipated or mature minors with adequate decision-making capacity, or when otherwise permitted by law, physicians should seek informed consent directly from patients.


Statement of reaffirmation:

AAP Publications Retired or Reaffirmed, October 2006
American Academy of Pediatrics
Pediatrics 2007 119: 405. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]



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