I would like to affirm the resolution which states Resolved: Adolescents ought to have the right to make autonomous medical choices. For simplicity in the debate today, I would like to give the following definitions from Oxford’s Advanced Learner’s dictionary: Adolescence is the process of developing from a child into an adult and the word ought is used to indicate a desirable or expected state. Blue Cross Blue Shield states that a medical necessity means: health care services that a physician, exercising prudent clinical judgement, would provide to a patient for the purpose of preventing, evaluating, diagnosing or treating an illness, injury or disease or its symptoms, and that are ; in accordance with generally accepted medical practice, clinically appropriate in terms of type,
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Anybody going under medical treatment will most-likely know more about their condition than anybody else. Studies from the School of Social Sciences show that “by the age of 14 years most adolescents show a reliable level of competence in metacognitive understanding of decision-making, creative problem-solving, correctness of choice, and commitment to a course of action.” As long as the patient is fully aware of the outcomes of each decision, I see no reason that they are not capable of making their own decisions. Every day, American adults are allowed to make human choices, however we prevent children and adolescents from making choices that may be regarded as ‘unwise.’ Take cigarettes as an example. In the eyes of the law, anybody 18 or older is considered an adult. As an adult, one can legally buy cigarettes. Adolescents are shielded from the “real world.” If a competent individual believes that smoking is their best choice, than let them smoke! Adolescents are capable of making a well-judged decision as long as they have been fully informed about the
Anybody going under medical treatment will most-likely know more about their condition than anybody else. Studies from the School of Social Sciences show that “by the age of 14 years most adolescents show a reliable level of competence in metacognitive understanding of decision-making, creative problem-solving, correctness of choice, and commitment to a course of action.” As long as the patient is fully aware of the outcomes of each decision, I see no reason that they are not capable of making their own decisions. Every day, American adults are allowed to make human choices, however we prevent children and adolescents from making choices that may be regarded as ‘unwise.’ Take cigarettes as an example. In the eyes of the law, anybody 18 or older is considered an adult. As an adult, one can legally buy cigarettes. Adolescents are shielded from the “real world.” If a competent individual believes that smoking is their best choice, than let them smoke! Adolescents are capable of making a well-judged decision as long as they have been fully informed about the