Issues Law Med. 2021 Spring;36(1):113-122.
The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) maintains that it is unethical to intentionally harm an innocent human being even in the absence of the individual's ability to perceive pain. However, in this paper, ACPeds reviews the laboratory and clinical evidence which indicates that as early as 12 weeks gestation (and possibly earlier) exposure to noxious stimuli negatively affects immature human beings. Because of the resulting acute stress responses and subsequent potential long-term negative effects, the ACPeds holds that avoiding, mitigating, and directly treating fetal, neonatal, and pediatric pain is a medical and ethical obligation.
美国儿科学会（ACPeds）认为，即使在没有个体感知疼痛的能力的情况下，故意伤害无辜的人类也是不道德的。然而，在本文中，ACPeds 回顾了实验室和临床证据，这些证据表明，早在 12 周妊娠（甚至更早）时，接触有害刺激会对不成熟的人类产生负面影响。由于由此产生的急性应激反应和随后的潜在长期负面影响，ACPeds 认为，避免、减轻和直接治疗胎儿、新生儿和儿科疼痛是医疗和道德义务。
