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2007 Pediatric Bioethics Conference
The Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics hosted its third conference on pediatric bioethics on July 13-14, 2007, in Seattle, Washington.
The conference attracted over 200 attendees from the United States, Canada and Australia who gathered to discuss the ethical issue related to disagreements between parents and providers about medical care.
Conference Introduction
Current Controversies: Navigating Conflicts When Parents and Providers Disagree About Medical Care
Parents and caretakers of children may not always agree with the medical care recommended by their health-care providers.
In some cases, parents may request medical tests or treatments that health-care providers do not think they should provide. In other cases, parents may refuse medical care that providers think is important for the well-being of the child.
These conflicts may reflect differing opinions about how to weigh the benefits and burdens of certain medical interventions. They may also reflect misunderstandings, cultural and religious differences, and a lack of trust in the health-care providers.
These disagreements raise many important ethical questions about how to navigate situations in which conflict develops.
- When can health-care providers refuse to provide medical care that a parent requests?
- Can physicians ever withdraw life-sustaining treatment over the objections of a parent?
- How much freedom should parents have to refuse medical tests or treatments for a child?
- Does it matter if a parent’s objections to recommended therapy have a religious or cultural basis?
- What strategies might prove effective in resolving conflicts that arise over the clinical care of children?
In July 2007 leaders in the field of pediatric bioethics discussed these issues in Seattle, Washington on the shores of Puget Sound. Below you will find the archived webcast presentations and more, so you can join in the continued exploration of these ethical questions.
UWTV Program Series
Program 1
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Program 2
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Program 3
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Presentations
Day 1
Welcome and Introduction
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Parental Requests for “Futile” Treatment.
Presented by Norman Fost, MD, MPH
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Physician’s Refusal to Provide Life-Prolonging Medical Interventions.
Presented by John J. Paris, SJ, PhD
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Show Me the Money: Financial Considerations in Responding to Parental Wishes.
Benjamin S. Wilfond, MD
View presentation (PDF 425KB)
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Should Developmentally Delayed Children be Listed for Solid Organ Transplants?
David Magnus, PhD
View presentation (PDF 269KB)
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Panel and questions discussing:
Norman Fost, John J. Paris, Benjamin S. Wilfond, and David Magnus
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Parents as Living Donors for Their Children: Who Decides the Permissible Degree of Risks? And What Criteria Do They Use?
Presented by Lainie Friedman Ross, MD, PhD
View presentation (PDF 198KB)
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The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Pediatric Patients: When Accommodation Becomes a Problem.
Presented by Christine Harrison, PhD
View presentation (PDF 863KB)
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Using Children as a Means to a Sibling’s Health: Ethical Concerns and Justifications for Pediatric Sibling Transplants.
Presented by Rebecca Pentz, PhD
View presentation (PDF 273KB)
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Platform presentations of selected submitted abstracts:
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Futility, State Law and the Fate of Children
Mary Anderlik Majumder, JD, PhD
View presentation (PDF 243KB)
Responding to Parental Requests for a Caregiver of a Different Race or Ethnicity
Kyle Anstey, PhD
View presentation (PDF 368KB)
Nobody Likes Premies
Annie Janvier, PhD, FRCPC
View presentation (PDF 236KB)
Parental Provider Conflict and Calling in the Law…Trump or Wild Card?
Kellie Lang, JD
View presentation (PDF 209KB)
Day 2
Welcome and Introduction
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Refusals in Pediatrics
Presented by Lainie Friedman Ross, MD, PhD
View presentation (PDF 289KB)
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Christian Science and the Medical Care of Children
Norman Fost, MD, MPH
Presentation not Available
Parental Discretion in Refusal of Treatment for Newborns
John J. Paris, SJ, PhD
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Panel and Questions:
Lainie Friedman Ross, Norman Fost, John J. Paris
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Understanding Differences in Conflicts Surrounding the Medical Care of Children.
Presented by Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
View presentation (PDF 137KB)
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News coverage
- Shades of Black and White (PDF 172KB)
- Seeking less-bitter ways to end conflicts on kids’ medical care — The Seattle Times
