Department of Pediatrics, Spaarne Gasthuis, Haarlem, The Netherlands.
Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Eur J Pediatr. 2024 Nov 25;184(1):43. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05836-5.
This study examines how healthcare decisions involving minors are handled across European countries by asking member organizations of the European Academy of Paediatrics (EAP). An online survey was distributed via the EAP network to representatives of national paediatric associations in all European countries. The survey focused on determining the age at which minors can consent to medical treatment without parental permission, including contexts such as mental health treatment, reproductive health, vaccinations, life-threatening situations, and end-of-life decisions. Responses were collected, analysed, and validated through follow-up checks with the respondents. We received 62 responses from 43 countries. The minimum age at which minors can consent to medical treatment varies substantially across Europe, ranging from sixteen or eighteen years in some countries to being based on the child's maturity in others. Additionally, there are disparities in the age of consent across specific contexts; for example, end-of-life decisions for minors are prohibited in several countries.Conclusions: In 2024, substantial differences persist in the legal age at which minors can make healthcare decisions across Europe. These findings are pertinent for policymakers and healthcare providers aiming to develop regulations that uphold the rights of young people while ensuring ethical, patient-centered care in a diverse continent but with easy movement and migration across internal borders. Future research should investigate how European health systems adapt to changes in healthcare requirements as a child grows and matures, and the impact of EU policies on paediatric healthcare services. What is Known? • Prior research has established that the age at which minors can consent to medical treatment varies internationally. •Across European countries, legal ages for minor consent to medical treatment continue to show substantial variance, reflecting differing national policies and cultural attitudes towards the autonomy of young individuals. What is New? •This study uniquely highlights that not only does the age of consent differ across countries. • The age of consent varies across different medical contexts, such as mental health, reproductive health, and end-of-life decisions.
这项研究通过询问欧洲儿科学会（EAP）的成员组织，调查了欧洲各国如何处理涉及未成年人的医疗保健决策。通过 EAP 网络向所有欧洲国家的国家儿科协会代表分发了在线调查。该调查侧重于确定未成年人在何种情况下可以在没有父母许可的情况下同意接受治疗，包括心理健康治疗、生殖健康、疫苗接种、危及生命的情况和临终决策等情况。通过与受访者的后续检查，收集、分析和验证了回复。我们收到了来自 43 个国家的 62 份回复。未成年人可以同意接受治疗的最低年龄在整个欧洲有很大差异，一些国家规定为 16 或 18 岁，而其他国家则根据孩子的成熟程度而定。此外，在特定情况下同意年龄也存在差异；例如，一些国家禁止未成年人做出临终决定。结论：2024 年，欧洲未成年人做出医疗保健决策的法定年龄仍存在很大差异。这些发现对于政策制定者和医疗保健提供者具有重要意义，他们旨在制定法规，维护年轻人的权利，同时确保在一个多样化的大陆上以道德、以患者为中心的方式提供医疗保健，但内部边界的人员流动和迁移较为容易。未来的研究应调查欧洲卫生系统如何适应儿童成长和成熟过程中医疗保健需求的变化，以及欧盟政策对儿科医疗保健服务的影响。已知？•先前的研究已经确定，未成年人可以同意接受治疗的年龄在国际上有所不同。•在欧洲各国，未成年人同意接受治疗的法定年龄继续存在很大差异，这反映了不同国家的政策和对年轻人自主权的不同文化态度。新的？•这项研究独特地强调，不仅国家之间同意年龄不同。•同意年龄在不同的医疗背景下也有所不同，例如心理健康、生殖健康和临终决策。
