JAMA publishes op-ed regarding parental rights in healthcare

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published an opinion piece titled “When Parents Rights Lead To Policy Wrongs,” which argues that increasing parental control over children's healthcare decisions may hinder medical access and quality of care.

Written by two health service academics, the article suggests that state-level policies aimed at limiting parental rights in areas such as gender expression, sexual health, vaccinations, and mental health could act as barriers to care. The authors contend that such policies may compromise a physician's ability to provide what they describe as welcoming and nonjudgmental primary care to teenagers.

The publication has drawn criticism from organizations such as Do No Harm, which describes the position as unscientific and concerning regarding medical interventions for minors.