Making decisions for children in a medical context can be extremely stressful and complex. In some notable pediatric cases, parents have made decisions that go against the recommendations of doctors. Such cases have included denying treatment for cancer or refusing to allow their children to receive vaccinations. Furthermore, in the case that a child appears to be suffering from serious abuse or neglect, medical centers are now able to forcibly provide care by implementing Child Protective Services (CPS). However, this service has often been criticized for being used incorrectly and simply as a means for health care providers to avoid liabilities.
Janet Schneiderman, Research Associate Professor, USC Social Work
Kenneth Geller, MD, Director of Dornsife Pre-Health Advisement, Associate Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology, USC Keck
Ankit Shah, MD, JD, Assistant Professor, USC Keck, Lecturer in Law, USC Gould, Attending Physician, LAC+USC Medical Center
Rima Basu, Ph.D. Candidate, Philosophy, USC Dornsife
ZYGO is a joint program of the Sidney Harman Academy for Polymathic Study and the Levan Institute for Humanities and Ethics. The series is organized by USC students in health and medicine who seek dialogue with USC faculty across disciplines in order to increase the integration of ethical themes into their curriculum.
