Table 1 Cases in which the parents declined or withdrew standard treatment for their children
Case and reference | Patient age (years) | Diagnosis | Parent’s desired alternative to standard treatment | Child’s desired alternative to standard treatment | Court’s decision | Patient outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Case 1, Wiener Neustadt (Australia), 1995 [4] | 6 | Abdominal tumour | To entrust the child’s treatment to a banned German doctor. | ____ | Mandated standard chemotherapy and surgery. | Completed standard therapy and child was a survivor. |
Case 2, Surrey (UK), 2007 [5] | 8 | Wilms tumour | To halt the last few treatments of radiotherapy as child had had enough. | To halt the last few treatments of radiotherapy | Child Protection Services mandated to complete therapy. | Completed standard therapy and child was a survivor. |
Case 3, London (UK) 2013 [6] | 7 | Medulloblastoma | To prevent her child receiving radiotherapy as she did not believe in its efficacy. | ____ | Mandated radiotherapy | Child completed standard therapy |