Human rights and the omission or cessation of treatment for infants.
Advances in neonatal medicine have led to the survival of children who suffer pain and psychosocial deficits. There are those who justify the continued existence of these children by denying that there is a minimal quality of life below which life is not worth living or by claiming that we cannot judge the quality of life of another. Both of these viewpoints are found wanting. What is proposed is that infants are persons and that personhood confers human rights which include the right to die. The nature of human rights yields a general criterion by which to determine when the omission or cessation of treatment for infants is morally required.
Goldworth
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Department of Philosophy, San Jose State University, California.
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005065:Euthanasia; D005066:Euthanasia, Passive; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D028681:Moral Obligations; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D018579:Patient Selection; D028723:Personhood; D011788:Quality of Life; D012297:Right to Die; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014481:United States; D026712:Value of Life; D028761:Withholding Treatment