Some parents’ reasons for refusing medical treatment are based on their religious or spiritual beliefs. In cases in which treatment is likely to prevent death or serious disability or relieve severe pain, children’s health and future autonomy should be protected.
Full Answer
Why do some religions forbid medical treatment?
Generally speaking, however, religions that forbid medical treatment are often of the opinion that "all things" happen for a reason or as part of fate.
What is the role of religion and spirituality in medicine?
On an individual level, recognizing the roles of religion and spirituality in medicine can help clinicians approach their patients with more empathy and trust and strengthen team-based collaborations between clinicians and chaplains.
Are there any Pentecostal churches that reject modern medicine in favor of prayer?
There are some Pentecostal/Charismatic churches (or para-church groups, it's difficult to pin down sometimes) that reject modern medicine in favor of prayer. The recent case that comes to mind is Leilani Neumann.
How should pediatricians treat families with religious or spiritual beliefs?
Pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists should respect families and their religious or spiritual beliefs and collaborate with them to develop treatment plans to promote their children’s health.
How does religion affect medical treatment?
Religion and spirituality can impact decisions regarding diet, medicines based on animal products, modesty, and the preferred gender of their health providers. Some religions have strict prayer times that may interfere with medical treatment.
What religion bans medical treatment?
D. Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusion. Christian Scientists refuse most medical treatment. Instead they rely on the healing prayers of Christian Scientist Practitioners.
How is religion related to medicine?
A long historical tradition connects religion, medicine, and health care. Religious groups built the first hospitals in Western civilization during the fourth century for care of the sick unable to afford private medical care.
Why do some religions refuse medical treatment?
According to some religious groups and cultural sects, a member of these groups cannot undergo certain medical procedures due to shared beliefs. Most religious people who hold moderate views do not consider it to be against their beliefs to seek out medical care.
Is it correct to refuse treatment because of religious beliefs?
Simply, if an adult under your care is mentally competent and refuses a treatment, including blood transfusions, surgery, or standard medical care, based on a held religious or cultural belief, the law generally grants this right of choice—even if the consequences of refusal are dire.
Can a doctor refuse to treat a patient based on religious beliefs?
“Religious Refusal” Laws and Reproductive Health Care. Refusal rules often allow doctors and other health care workers to refuse to treat or help patients because of religion, which discriminates against patients and denies people health care.
Why is religion important in medicine?
On an individual level, recognizing the roles of religion and spirituality in medicine can help clinicians approach their patients with more empathy and trust and strengthen team-based collaborations between clinicians and chaplains.
How does religion or spirituality play a role in a patient's health?
Some studies indicate that those who are spiritual tend to have a more positive outlook and a better quality of life. For example, patients with advanced cancer who found comfort from their religious and spiritual beliefs were more satisfied with their lives, were happier, and had less pain (11).
Why is faith important in medicine?
For many patients, faith forms the core of their value system, bringing meaning both to health and suffering. Religiously devout patients interpret major life events—birth, reproduction, illness, and death—in the context of their relation to God and their faith community [1].
What does the Bible say about medicine?
Jesus said: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick”—Matthew 9:12. For any one who is sick or a pregnant woman who needs medical attention but refuses a medical treatment is acting in ignorance of the Divine Providence.
Why are some religions against blood transfusions?
Differing beliefs Jehovah's Witnesses believe that it is against God's will to receive blood and, therefore, they refuse blood transfusions, often even if it is their own blood.
What religions dont allow flu shots?
Jehovah's Witnesses condemned the practice of vaccination in 1931 as "a direct violation of the everlasting covenant that God made with Noah after the flood", but reversed that policy in 1952. The decision of whether to vaccinate themselves or their family is left to individuals.
What was the end time ministry charged with?
The parents were charged with aggravated child abuse. End Time Ministries, various states in the USA: (1) In 1990, the son of members refused to allow doctors and surgeons to treat their son for a known heart tumor.
Why did the church members get suspended?
(6) Two church members were given fourteen suspended months in state prison because they refused to get help for their son, who had found a lump in his abdomen. By the time the boy had managed to get medical help, it was too late.
Why is illness and disease not real?
Because illness and disease are not real, Christian Scientists believe that one must focus your energy on the true reality of God's nature in order to heal ones self.
What charges did the parents face in the death of their daughter?
Mom and Dad were charged with “failing to report the death, failing to obtain medical attention, abuse of a dead body and child abuse”. Both were acquitted. (2) In 1999 a 2 year old child was stung 432 times by wasps.
Why did the church's newborn grandson die?
A few months later, the parents’ newborn grandson died from massive hemorrhaging; again they did not seek medical treatment. (2) In the early 1990s, two families who were members in the church lost their daughters.
Introduction
Religion plays an important role in the lives of many individuals. Fifty-eight percent of respondents to a recent poll reported that religion is very important in their lives, and 23% reported that it is fairly important. 1 The relationship between religion and medicine is complex.
Religious Objections to Medical Care
Although parents have broad authority, they have less discretion in making medical decisions for their children than for themselves.
Religious Exemptions to Child Abuse and Neglect Laws
Most states have “religious exemptions” to their child abuse and neglect laws. These exemptions proliferated in response to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974.
Public Funding of Spiritual Healing Practices
In addition to efforts to create religious exemptions, some churches and legislators have sought to provide public funds to pay for religious or spiritual healing practices.
Recommendations
Pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists should respect families and their religious or spiritual beliefs and collaborate with them to develop treatment plans to promote their children’s health.
Staff
This document is copyrighted and is the property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Board of Directors. All authors have filed conflict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors.
What is the theme of science based medicine?
One of the major themes of science-based medicine (unsurprisingly) is that medicine should be based on science. We consider ourselves specialists in a larger movement defending science in general from mysticism, superstition, and spiritualism. We are not against anyone’s personal belief, and are officially agnostic toward any faith (as is science itself), but will vigorously defend science from any intrusion into its proper realm.
Is Western medicine holistic?
Accad has set up his false premise, that “Western” medicine is not holistic, and then defines “holistic” in a specific way that leads to the specific point he is trying to make. He asks, “what is meant by the whole person,” and his answer essentially encompasses his religious faith. “Holistic,” he asserts (again, he doesn’t actually make any arguments) means treating the soul.
What is the complexity of teaching religion and spirituality in health care practice?
The complexity of teaching religion and spirituality in health care practice speaks to the fact that patient and clinician values can sometimes intersect in a way that leads to conflict and moral distress. 5 All three cases in this issue speak to that tension between patient and clinician.
Why are chaplains underutilized?
Chaplains are a valuable, yet underutilized, resource in situations in which spiritual or religious values create conflict or moral distress. 6 One possible reason for this underutilization is the assumption that all types of clergy—including the laity—can perform the same work as hospital chaplains.
What is the role of a physician if she does not prescribe contraception?
The authors unpack the physician’s conflicting duties to patient, employer, and state law, arguing that if she chooses not to prescribe contraception, she maintains a responsibility to transfer the patient and to notify future patients ahead of time of her inability to prescribe.
