Which Child Will Live or Die in France: Examining Physician Responsibility for Critically Ill Children.
There exists some controversy regarding the roles of parents and physicians for life-support decisions for critically ill children. French medical literature asserts that it is inappropriate for parents to bear such responsibilities. Physicians are commonly responsible for these decisions. The aims of this study were to (a) outline how life-support decisions are made for critically ill children in France; (b) examine the cultural context within which these decisional practices have arisen; and (c) analyse the ethical implications of these practices. Data were obtained in 2004 from consultations with relevant experts, relevant French medical guidelines, French print media, empirical research reports and related seminal publications. Specific themes that were identified included: (1) the physician is responsible for medical decision making for children; (2) French physicians caring for critically ill children bear a societal responsibility for preventing severely 'handicapped' survivors; (3) physician authority is rooted in State responsibility for children's welfare; and (4) active euthanasia is sometimes practised to prevent the creation of 'les handicapés'. These findings highlight ethical concerns that can result from assigning some physicians such largely unquestioned societal moral agency.
Franco A
FA
Carnevale
Gilles
G
Bibeau