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Children's Hospital Ethics Committees: A First Estimate

Children's Hospital Ethics Committees: A First Estimate Abstract • Special committees are being formed in hospitals to help deal with ethical problems presented by seriously ill Infants and children. The functions of these multidisciplinary groups are to recommend policy and educate staff members about ethical matters and provide ethical consultation to parties involved in the care of these patients. This article provides a historical background of the formation of these committees and describes the development, constitution, and practices of the recently formed ethics committee of the Children's Hospital National Medical Center, Washington, DC. Ethical decision-making for the sick incompetent child requires determining his or her best interest. The committee's problems related to this determination and other questions are discussed to inform those working in pediatric health care and to help guide them in their future efforts in ethical decision making for minors. (AJDC 1987;141:954-958) References 1. President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medical and Biomedical and Behavioral Research: Deciding to Forego Life-Sustaining Treatment . Washington, DC, The Commission, 1983, pp 160-165. 2. Lyon J: Playing God in the Nursery . New York, WW Norton & Co Inc, 1985, pp 21-39, 45-55. 3. Department of Health and Human Services: Child Abuse and Neglect: Prevention and Treatment Program (45 CFR Part 1340) . Federal Register 1985;50( (April 15) ):14878-14901. 4. Randall J: Are ethics committees alive and well? Hastings Cent Rep 1983;13:10-12. 5. Cranford R, Doudera A: The emergence of institutional ethics committees . Law Med Health Care 1984;12:13-20. 6. Levine C: Questions and (some very tentative) answers about hospital ethics committees . Hastings Cent Rep 1984;14:10-12. 7. Johnson D, Thompson T, Aroskar M, et al: 'Baby Doe' rules: There are alternatives . AJDC 1984;138:523-529. 8. Fleischman A: An infant bioethical review committee in an urban medical center . Hastings Cent Rep 1986;16:16-18. 9. Kliegman R, Mahowald M, Youngner S: In our best interests: Experience and workings of an ethics review committee . J Pediatr 1986;108: 178-197.Crossref 10. Michaels R, Oliver T: Human rights consultation: A 12-year experience of a pediatric bioethics committee . Pediatrics 1986;78:566-572. 11. American Academy of Pediatrics, Infant Bioethics Task Force and Consultants: Guidelines for infant bioethics committees . Pediatrics 1984;74:306-310. 12. Arras J: Ethical principles for the care of imperiled newborns: Toward an ethics of ambiguity , in Murray T, Caplan A (eds): Which Babies Shall Live? Clifton, NJ, Humana Press, 1985, pp 83-135. 13. Robertson J: Involuntary euthanasia of defective newborns . Stanford Law Rev 1975;27: 254.Crossref 14. Bartholme W: The child patient: Do parents have the 'right to decide'? in Spicker S, Healey J, Engelhardt HT (eds): The Law-Medicine Relation: A Philosophical Exploration . Dordrecht, the Netherlands, D. Reidel Publishing Co, 1981, pp 271-277. 15. Brett A, McCullough L: Where patients request specific interventions . N Engl J Med 1986;315:1347-1351.Crossref 16. Wolf S: Ethics committees in the courts . Hastings Cent Rep 1986;16:12-15. 17. Siegler M: Ethics committees: Decisions by bureaucracy . Hastings Cent Rep 1986;16: 22-24. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png American Journal of Diseases of Children American Medical Association

Children's Hospital Ethics Committees: A First Estimate

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References (19)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0002-922X
DOI
10.1001/archpedi.1987.04460090031018
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract • Special committees are being formed in hospitals to help deal with ethical problems presented by seriously ill Infants and children. The functions of these multidisciplinary groups are to recommend policy and educate staff members about ethical matters and provide ethical consultation to parties involved in the care of these patients. This article provides a historical background of the formation of these committees and describes the development, constitution, and practices of the recently formed ethics committee of the Children's Hospital National Medical Center, Washington, DC. Ethical decision-making for the sick incompetent child requires determining his or her best interest. The committee's problems related to this determination and other questions are discussed to inform those working in pediatric health care and to help guide them in their future efforts in ethical decision making for minors. (AJDC 1987;141:954-958) References 1. President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medical and Biomedical and Behavioral Research: Deciding to Forego Life-Sustaining Treatment . Washington, DC, The Commission, 1983, pp 160-165. 2. Lyon J: Playing God in the Nursery . New York, WW Norton & Co Inc, 1985, pp 21-39, 45-55. 3. Department of Health and Human Services: Child Abuse and Neglect: Prevention and Treatment Program (45 CFR Part 1340) . Federal Register 1985;50( (April 15) ):14878-14901. 4. Randall J: Are ethics committees alive and well? Hastings Cent Rep 1983;13:10-12. 5. Cranford R, Doudera A: The emergence of institutional ethics committees . Law Med Health Care 1984;12:13-20. 6. Levine C: Questions and (some very tentative) answers about hospital ethics committees . Hastings Cent Rep 1984;14:10-12. 7. Johnson D, Thompson T, Aroskar M, et al: 'Baby Doe' rules: There are alternatives . AJDC 1984;138:523-529. 8. Fleischman A: An infant bioethical review committee in an urban medical center . Hastings Cent Rep 1986;16:16-18. 9. Kliegman R, Mahowald M, Youngner S: In our best interests: Experience and workings of an ethics review committee . J Pediatr 1986;108: 178-197.Crossref 10. Michaels R, Oliver T: Human rights consultation: A 12-year experience of a pediatric bioethics committee . Pediatrics 1986;78:566-572. 11. American Academy of Pediatrics, Infant Bioethics Task Force and Consultants: Guidelines for infant bioethics committees . Pediatrics 1984;74:306-310. 12. Arras J: Ethical principles for the care of imperiled newborns: Toward an ethics of ambiguity , in Murray T, Caplan A (eds): Which Babies Shall Live? Clifton, NJ, Humana Press, 1985, pp 83-135. 13. Robertson J: Involuntary euthanasia of defective newborns . Stanford Law Rev 1975;27: 254.Crossref 14. Bartholme W: The child patient: Do parents have the 'right to decide'? in Spicker S, Healey J, Engelhardt HT (eds): The Law-Medicine Relation: A Philosophical Exploration . Dordrecht, the Netherlands, D. Reidel Publishing Co, 1981, pp 271-277. 15. Brett A, McCullough L: Where patients request specific interventions . N Engl J Med 1986;315:1347-1351.Crossref 16. Wolf S: Ethics committees in the courts . Hastings Cent Rep 1986;16:12-15. 17. Siegler M: Ethics committees: Decisions by bureaucracy . Hastings Cent Rep 1986;16: 22-24.

Journal

American Journal of Diseases of ChildrenAmerican Medical Association

Published: Sep 1, 1987

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