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Medical decision-making on behalf of young children: Is it time to move to a significant harm threshold?: 27 May 2022

In recent years, a series of high-profile disputes between the parents of very ill children and their child's medical practitioners have made their way through the courts. In such cases – which include among them that of Charlie Gard, Alfie Evans, Tafida Raqeeb and  Alta Fixsler -- all parties believe that the course of action they favour is what is best for the child, yet those parties cannot reach agreement. The question thus arises, of who should have the ultimate say over a child's medical treatment?