Are Minors Intelligent Enough For Understand The Consequences Of Not Getting Cancer Treatment?

As Albert Einstein once said, “The only source of knowledge is experience.” Seeing that I agree with Einstein, I stand in firm negation of today's resolution which states Resolved: Adolescents ought to have the right to make autonomous medical choices. For simplicity in the debate today, I would like to give the following definition from the Black’s Law Dictionary: Adolescence is the age which follows puberty and precedes the age of majority. It commences for males at 14, and for females at 12 year completed. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary says that the word ought is used to indicate a desirable or expected state. Autonomous, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, is having the freedom to act independently. The negative will support the value of paternalism, which as defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, is the interference of a state or an individual with another person, against their will, and defended or motivated by a claim that the person interfered with will be better off or protected from harm. The value of paternalism will be defended with the criterion of knowledge and experience.

Many define adolescence as the transition period from puberty to legal adulthood where one is in the process of maturing. “This transitional period can bring up issues of independence and self-identity,” according to Psychology Today (“Adolescence”). Adolescents are usually classified to be between the ages of 14 and 18 and traditionally regarded as “minors” by law. “Minors, as a group, are legally disabled, meaning they are presumed to lack the skills necessary for capable decision-making” (Rhonda). Adolescents are unable to make rational decisions due to the Prefrontal Cortex not fully being developed, emotional responses and other factors which may cause potential societal harms as well as risks to the minors. Adolescents should not have the right to make autonomous medical choices.

Today, teen pregnancy is as high as ever. Shows like “16 and Pregnant” and “The Secret Life of an American Teenager” are centered on young girls’ journeys as teen moms, in hopes that viewers will become more aware about safe sex preventing teen pregnancy. Reducing teen pregnancy also reduces the rate of abortions. Teenagers are the ones who are most likely to get an abortion, since they are the ones that are the least prepared to be mothers. Regardless of their reasoning, abortion is an option that allows not just teens, but all women who are not ready or do not want a child. However, many are against abortion since they see it as killing a baby or taking away a potential life. According to writer Steven Ertelt of LifeNews.com, Oklahoma’s abortion laws are restrictive compared to other states especially with the passage of the Oklahoma Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion Act, or HB 1721, in April 2015, which bans dismemberment abortions that tear babies limb from limb. Any abortion practitioners that breaks this law would face a fine of $10,000 and a few years in prison. This act is a big step towards saving more potential lives, shining light on the abortion process, and is a stepping stone for other states.

In today 's society, the rate of teen pregnancy is rapidly decreasing. This may be attributed to decrease in costs of contraception, costs and availability for abortion, and better sex education over time. “In 2014, a total of 249,078 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years, for a birth rate of 24.2 per 1,000 women in this age group.This is another historic low for U.S. teens and a drop of 9% from 2013. Birth rates fell 11% for women aged 15–17 years and 7% for women aged 18–19 years” ("About Teen Pregnancy"). Abortion is a highly debated topic today, for many wonder if the woman should have the right to choose. Those who choose to get an abortion are practically putting themselves on trial in today 's society. To understand why this is so, one must look at both sides of the abortion issue, and compare the facts. Abortion is an extremely controversial issue for many, and polarized, or split, into pro-life

There are so many different views in opinions when it comes to the topic of abortion. There is the religious point that it is wrong to have an abortion because of the ten commandment that states “Thou shall not kill.” All have heard this one whether atheist or religious. People’s right to choose abortion or not has been questioned for many years, as congress officials have tried on many occasions to illegalize this right. Then there is the other side of this opinion where so many feel it is the woman’s right to choose to have an abortion. A lot of people see this as a

The Next Battle in the War Over Planned Parenthood is an article featured in The New York Times by writer Sheryl Gay Stolberg. The article, written in response to the recent proposal put forth by the Trump administration essentially threatening to cut federal funding to Planned Parenthood if the group doesn’t start preforming abortions, addresses both sides of the highly controversial and political topic of abortion by quoting the opinions of individuals from opposite ends of the abortion debate such as pro-choice Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and pro-life Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, an abortion opposing organization on college campuses. Stolberg also debunks the common misconception

This memorandum is written to inform others on the topic of mature minors and medical decisions. This matter has come to the surface of major debate and concern recently. One specific court case, involving Cassandra Callender of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, has sparked much of that concern. Seventeen-year old Cassandra was diagnosed with stage-three Hodgkin's Lymphoma and told by several doctors that she would predictably die within two years without the rounds of chemotherapy they had recommended for her. With the treatment, there was an expected 85% chance of survival (Cassandra Callender). However, Cassandra’s mother kept switching her daughter’s doctors, constantly questioned the diagnosis they were making, and according to the commissioner of her case, had, “...failed to meet the medical needs’, of Cassandra”. Cassandra was taken from her home and placed in her cousin’s because of her mother’s medical neglect. Callender’s mother testified that she knew that her daughter had cancer and that it was something that needed to be taken seriously. She further testified that her daughter should begin the chemotherapy rounds as quick as possible. Medics came to Cassandra’s home, after being returned

Life is so beautiful and sweet until it ends. In America, abortions clinics are gradually closing their doors even though the United States is of the few nations to endorse abortions. Abortions are normally performed during the 1st trimester of a woman’s pregnancy and abortion laws are varied from state to state (Alabama Policy). Abortion is also one of the biggest and most controversial debate about exterminating an unborn life in a mother’s womb and determining whether its ethical or unethical. In 1973, the United States Supreme Court legalized abortions throughout every state and more women especially African Americans were enticed by the Roe v Wade court decision (Alabama Policy Web). In this paper, I will examine the influence

Consent for medical treatment is based on three legal ideals: the patient must be informed to make a decision, the patient cannot be intimidated into making a decision, and the patient must be competent (McCabe). In 1982, a study was held by Weithorn and Campbell showing the competency of four age groups (9,14,18, and 21 years-old) based on questions from the ideals aforementioned. The study concluded that fourteen year-olds’ competence and adult are analogous, while nine year-olds could partake in discussions based off of their treatment (Weithorn). The study conducted by Weithorn and Campbell, not only displays competence, but also the ability to comprehend the possible outcomes, and determine the importance of these possible outcomes relative to their own lives. With studies showing that at the age of fourteen the decisional capacity (prefrontal cortex) of the human brain is equal to that of an eighteen year-old, the legal age of consent must be lowered to fourteen years of age.

Someone once said,“Being pro choice doesn’t mean you would have an abortion. It just means you think the choice is yours, not the government's. In the New York Times editorial written on June 27, 2016, entitled, “ A Major Victory for Abortion Rights,” the writers are targeting young women can understand that the choice of abortion should be in the women's hands. This article is about keeping abortion legal in America, but primarily Texas. The writer's emotional appeals, word choices, and logic to successfully encourage the readers.

Since then, adolescents lack of medical autonomy, or their personal right to make their own decisions, still does not receive the necessary attention in today's society of which it should. However, professors and doctors in the medical field

Thank you to everyone who participated in this debate; your viewpoints brought forth valuable insight to this difficult topic. In summation, when it comes down to it, I think that chemotherapy should be required in pediatric oncology patients, in spite of whether the pediatric patient is in favor of receiving treatment of not. Brains studies show that teens are more likely to make decisions based on emotions rather than logic and have not developed the propensity to value long-term outcomes. However, as the participants in this forum have brought up, age is a flawed way of determining developmental maturity. There is great variation in the developmental abilities of a child and simply being older than 18 does not necessarily correlate with

“The emotional stress of living with the diagnosis of cancer and its treatment, and the distress imposed by living with the day-to-day physical problems described above can create new or worsen preexisting psychological distress for people living with cancer, their families, and caregivers” (Adler, 19). Not only do the patients have to deal with the worries and stress, but also friends and relatives who are involved with the patient battle mental effects. However, the patient may feel as if they are lonely and depressed. In addition, one may experience anxiety and concerns about how cancer might be in their future and can bring about feelings of fear, sadness, and confusion. Moreover, body image can be an issue due to one’s changing of appearance constantly. Often in society, they are treated differently because of physical changes, which can lead to the individual becoming self-conscious about their body image. Nonetheless, these psychological problems can produce stress from financial problems such as low income, lack of health insurance, and costs of health care. Not to mention that these cancer patients can develop an overall feeling of worry, uncertainty, a sense of vulnerability, and worries about acquiring a second cancer. The diagnosis of this life-threatening illness with a combination of mental and emotional stress causes suffering undoubtedly with the lingering thoughts of death running through their

A quasi-experimental study was conducted on a group of 140 oncology patients above the age of 18 years, receiving chemotherapy either as outpatients or inpatients in hematology oncology units at Karadeniz Technical University Farabi Medical Facility (Shahin, & Erguney, 2015). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a planned symptom management education on patient receiving chemotherapy in alleviating the side-effects of antineoplastic agents and enhancing their QOL. An individualized educational program was created for the participants in the experimental group after reviewing their medical records, personal data, and meeting their family members by an expert team. The educational sessions were provided to the

This paper will address evidence based practice and apply it to a PICO question. The focus of the paper will be on information about cancer occurring in teenagers who are experiencing pain.