How We Found Consensus on Pediatric Decision-Making and Why It Matters

Perspect Biol Med. 2024;67(2):186-196. doi: 10.1353/pbm.2024.a929017.

Abstract

This article describes the process engaged by 17 expert scholars in the development of a set of six consensus recommendations about the normative foundations of pediatric decision-making. The process began with a robust pre-reading assignment, followed by three days of in-person symposium discussions that resulted in a publication in Pediatrics entitled "Pediatric Decision-Making: Consensus Recommendations" (Salter et al. 2023). This article next compares the six recommendations to existing statements about pediatric decision-making (specifically those developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics), highlighting similarities and differences. Finally, the article discusses the value of finding consensus in the field of pediatric bioethics.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Consensus*
  • Decision Making
  • Humans
  • Pediatrics* / ethics
  • Pediatrics* / standards