USA Today just published an article on a new ruling by a Minnesota judge stating that Daniel Hauser, a 13-year-old boy with cancer, is required to seek conventional medical care (chemotherapy and radiation), against his parents’ wishes. Brown County District Judge John Rodenberg says that this child has been “medically neglected.”
This is an unfortunate and alarming ruling that threatens the freedom Americans once had in making decisions about their own healthcare and the healthcare of their children. Is the government qualified to make such decisions? Should government have the power to do so, even if it were qualified?
There are other ways to address health challenges such as cancer and our knowledge of how best to treat this dis-ease is not complete. The concern is not whether conventional medical care is or is not the best treatment for this child. The question is whether or not the government has over stepped its boundaries in forcing a child to receive a specific medical treatment against both his and his parents’ desires.
Dr. Gina's Blog 
Hi Dr Gina,
I’m totally on the fence on this one. We want what’s best for the boy, but we also want the preserve their right to choose. Great post.
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