Teen girl and mother fight the state over right to refuse chemo cancer treatment

[KitSileya]

79. Did you have a high likelihood of dying because of your hit?

As in 90% chance of dying? No? Then refuse medical treatment all you want, but don't come crying to me if there are after-effects.

However, if there is a high chance of dying without treatment, and a high chance of surviving *with* treatment, then at least the patient should face mandatory psychological evaluation if they refuse treatment. Do you not agree it is different to refuse treatment if treatment gives you a 90% chance of survival, versus if it gives you a 9% survival chance? A person can be put in psychiatric hospitals if they are a danger for themselves or others, even in the US, I believe. How can a child refusing medical treatment, or even a parent refusing medical treatment for their child not be endangering themselves or others? Especially if this is a common condition and a common treatment? If it were an experimental treatment, or a very unusual condition, it should definitely be examined by someone other than the doctors - in fact, a guardian ad litem (I believe that's what they are called) should be appointed for all such children, who could be impartial and not influenced by extreme alternative medicine quacks.

And one caveat which I ask you to read carefully - I think this should only be the case in civilized countries with universal health care available to all regardless of age or financial status. Since this isn't the case in the US, I would not force an adult to have treatment, but a child, yes. And her treatment should be paid for by the state.

However, if I remember correctly, you think vaccines are silly because you survived your childhood, so I don't really expect you to agree with me.