Children and Decisionmaking in Health Research

Abstract

In March 1998 the Office of Bioethics Education and Research at Dalhousie University hosted a multidisciplinary workshop, “Assent and Dissent in Research Involving Children.” The overall objectives for the meeting were: first, to promote and protect the health and well-being of children by ensuring that potentially beneficial biomedical and health research involving children was not inappropriately precluded; and second, that when such research did proceed, it was appropriately respectful of children. For the purposes of the discussion, appropriate respect included both protection from harm and promotion of the capacity for independent decision-making. Particular attention was focused on the roles and responsibilities of children and their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) in decisionmaking about research participation.