chemo against your will? Options

[PurpleDaze112]

I was checking my email just now on yahoo and a news story on the page said that a 13 year old boy was forced by the court to receive chemotherapy to treat his lymphoma. The boy and his parents agreed on trying alternative medicine to treat the illness due to religious purposes. Involuntary medical attentuon, if it has the realistic possibility of saving lives, is entirely legal if the patient is a minor.

Personally, I think that the practice should be disallowed if the minor in question is at a pyschological level that puts them in a place where professionals can be certain that the choice to forgo certain medical practices is the minor's own. But since that boy's lymphoma had a 90% chance of being wiped out by the chemo, I think he's a dumbass for not getting treatment. Still, it comes down to the fact that one can do whatever they want with their body, even if it means letting it die.

[brooklyneast05]

Still, it comes down to the fact that one can do whatever they want with their body, even if it means letting it die.

yes, except for that's most likely not the case here. it would be hard to convince me, or anyone for that matter, that a 13 year old can decide something like this on his own. so we can't say that him not getting real treatment is his own decision and not what's imposed by the parents and their religious beliefs. even he "thinks" this is what he wants, i would doubt whether at 13 years old living with his parents and their beliefs his whole life really has that objective of a few on this.

as far as i'm concerned if your a parent and your encouraging your son to refuse REAL medical treatment when there is a 90% chance of it fixing it...you're a nutcase. it's irresponsible imo. i don't mind that the courts are forcing this. if someones kid has to suffer because the parents don't want real treatment for religious reasons, that's basically neglect to me. they're such idiots that they're going to kill off their own kid, sucky situation.

Doctors have said Daniel's cancer had up to a 90 percent chance of being cured with chemotherapy and radiation. Without those treatments, doctors said his chances of survival are 5 percent.

i don't think the kid is a dumbass, i think the parents are.