It appears these parents weren’t letting their son go without treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, but seeking an alternative to grueling chemotherapy.
Since when aren’t they free to choose another hospital, since they apparently aren’t content with Children’s Hospital in Tampa? Is a second opinion on a course of treatment not allowed, either?
Since when can a Judge say, “You, _____ _______, must complete a particular treatment started, whether you want to or not.”? This isn’t even legal in research, where subjects or their guardians can pull them out of the study at any time, with or without a stated reason.
To be honest, I’m conflicted about the morality of this. Yes, the parents have every right to do what’s best for their child, but refusing treatment for a life-threatening illness such as cancer could be considered medical neglect.
As Janet said, why do they have to go to that particular hospital if they don’t like the hospital where the kid was diagnosed? What if the parents can’t pay for it? There are so many questions in regards to the context, I’m conflicted about where I stand on this issue. I wish they gave more information, but alas, that may not be in best interest of the family’s privacy.
Who is the bad guy here? Or do all parties involved have both valid and unreasonable positions in this?
Failing to treat a child with a procedure that has a 90% success rate for an unproven alternative is failing the child.
The parents, who I believe think are doing what is best, really is not and the life and safety of the child and the State has an interest in protecting those who cannot protect themselves.
“…but refusing treatment for a life-threatening illness such as cancer could be considered neglect.”
Gonna have to reread the link, but it doesn’t appear that they did refuse treatment. It was alternative treatment and a second opinion they were seeking.
Whose to say a patient who undergoes more accepted forms of treatment wouldn’t still die from their cancer? ‘80’s actor Dirk Benedict survived cancer of the prostate through means like macrobiotic diet.
And Joey Feek, of the CW/Christian duo Rory and Joey, died accepting everything from a radical hysterectomy to chemo & radio (cancer returned after surgery to her colon, & she then weighed pros & cons to decide against any further treatment, dying at 40).
This is disturbing. What’s next?
You must undergo a surgical procedure, or an invasive test you don’t want because your treatment choices were challenged in court?
90%. There still are individuals who die of leukemia, some after bone marrow transplant, first undergoing massive doses of chemo and radio to avoid a surviving immune system rejecting the transplant.
After some thought, I cannot support forcing a treatment on someone who doesn’t want it. Don’t see the parents as uncaring or willfully neglectful, but seeking a viable alternative with an oncology program they trust more than Children’s Hospital.
But it looks as if they didn’t communicate they were seeking a second opinion & cancel a chemo appointment, simply failed to show.
If I understand correctly, a health care professional is obligated to report possible neglect if a patient fails to show for emergency or other needed care.
The alternative that the parents want to use is cannabis based. There isn’t enough evidence to show that it is just as or more effective than chemo. When there is the evidence then the cannabis based treatment would be a course.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is highly survivable when caught and treated early. Every day that effective treatment is withheld reduces the chances of proven medicine to work as well.
As I said, I believe that the parents think that they are doing what is best for their child, but withholding effective treatment for an unproven alternative could very well likely lead to the child’s unnecessary death.
Mentally ill people who because of their mental illness end up in the criminal justice system are often ordered into medical treatment for their mental illness and its a probation violation if they stop.
I’ll give you a perfect example. A woman my PD has been dealing with a LOT recently and a lot a few years ago decided not long ago after finishing her prior court ordered mental health treatment to stop taking her meds. She is schizophrenic and bipolar and off her meds generates on average 4-6 police calls a day, many from her because she’s having delusions of people trying to kill her. Officers put her in protective custody the other day and while getting her mental health evaluation at the hospital she bit a nurse and scratched an officer’s face leaving a long bloody gouge. She’s currently in jail for the two batteries. No doubt her sentence will be similar to one she got a few years ago for similar problems where she has to take her meds and has to attend weekly counseling. She’s being court ordered into medical treatment she doesn’t want. No doubt once her probation is up she will just like last time stop taking her meds.
