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Medical Dilemma
The author of this report has been asked to review and react to a medical dilemma as presented via a case study. The situation is a divorced couple that has a mutual child. The child goes into a rage of vomiting and convulsions and is eventually diagnosed with meningitis. Of course, there is a request to initiate treatment by the physicians. The mother in the situation, who is not the biological parent of the child, insists that no medical treatment take place. This is keeping with personal religious status as a Christian Scientist believer and she is of the mind that modern medical treatment is against her religious beliefs. The biological father, who is living in another state, asserts that treatment be given and that an alternative physician consult with the existing physicians on the matter so as to verify the diagnosis and otherwise assist in the treatment of the child.
Question Answered
The ethical dilemma here is basically two-fold. First, there is the matter of whether the mother has the right to decide the treatment options for a child in the way that she is doing. The second question is which parent should be able to make the choice given that they two parents are obviously not in agreeance about the way forward....
In the case of both questions, the mother's decision cannot be accepted. She can assert her religious beliefs for herself and her own care but refusing treatment for her son is not acceptable and the doctors have a right to disobey her directive if they wish ... they should and they will (Hall, 2016). Further, this would be true whether or not she is the biological mother (she is not) and despite the fact that she has primary custody. She could do what the father is requesting and request an alternative opinion but treatment is needed and it is needed right away. For that reason, the father's assertions should be accepted and that would include consultation from another physician. Presumably, the other physician would concur with the others unless there is an obvious sign that something is amiss with the current diagnosis. Further, the father's request is reasonable given the condition of the child and the fact that the father is not stating that he wants treatment to stop. It just seems he want to be sure that the current course of treatment proposed I the right one and he would presumably not halt treatment unless the opinion from the secondary physician was markedly different than the first physicians that diagnosed the patient (CHOP, 2016).
Decision…
References
AJOB. (2013). When Parents Disagree with the Doctor -- Bioethics.net. Bioethics.net. Retrieved 26 February 2016, from http://www.bioethics.net/2013/12/when-parents-disagree-with-the-doctor/
CHOP. (2016). Pediatric Cancer Second Opinions -- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Chop.edu. Retrieved 26 February 2016, from http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/cancer-center/second-opinions#.VtDkfpwrKUk
Hall, H. (2016). Faith Healing: Religious Freedom vs. Child Protection - CSI. Csicop.org. Retrieved 26 February 2016, from http://www.csicop.org/si/show/faith_healing_religious_freedom_vs._child_protection
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