. 2022 Sep 9;181(11):3805–3816. doi: 10.1007/s00431-022-04609-2

Table 1.

Selected examples of medical ethics and human rights articles discussing implications of the best interests principle for paediatric healthcare

Public health interventions

• Compulsory vaccination of children [47–51]

• Provision of needle and syringe services for adolescents [52]

• Newborn screening [53, 54]

• Rationing of medical resources [55, 56]

Sexual and reproductive health

• Reproductive and sexual health education [57]

• Paediatric HIV/AIDS disclosure [33]

• Ovarian or testicular tissue cryopreservation [58–60]

• Access to gender-affirming or puberty-blocking medication for transgender and intersex adolescents [61, 62]

• Posthumous medically assisted reproduction [63]

• Gamete donation [64]

Genetic testing

• Clinical genomics [65, 65–75]

• Preimplantation genetic testing [76]

• Saviour siblings [77–79]

Decisions to provide or withhold medical treatment

• Paediatric intensive care [80]

• Blood transfusion to Jehovah’s Witness children [81, 82]

• Withholding or withdrawing medical treatment [83–85, 83–93]

• Treatment of extremely premature infants [94, 55]

• Conjoint twins surgery [95]

• Elective paediatric surgery [96]

Clinical research and experimental interventions

• Participation of children in clinical research [97–107]

• Experimental treatment options [108–111]

• Off-label use of medicines [112]

• Cognitive enhancement [113, 114]

• Genetic enhancement [115]

Interaction of healthcare professionals with children

• Development of participatory approaches to paediatric healthcare [116, 117]

• Development of paediatric cancer nursing interventions [118]

• Treatment of psychiatrically ill children [119]

• Determination of capacity to consent to medical treatment [120]

• Interventions to address child maltreatment [121, 122]