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The Baby Doe Rule: Still a Threat
Author(s) -
Moskop John C.,
Saldanha Rita L.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
hastings center report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1552-146X
pISSN - 0093-0334
DOI - 10.2307/3563084
Subject(s) - harm , neglect , duty , medicine , health care , intensive care , medical emergency , business , nursing , intensive care medicine , political science , law
Current federal policy, as reflected in the final Baby Doe rule, will have a chilling effect on the ability of doctors to care appropriately for severely disabled infants. The policy threatens to prolong life unjustifiably for such infants. It will force physicians to violate a duty to do no harm without compensating benefit. And it raises serious problems for the just distribution of health care.