Consent difficult in paediatric oncology

Abstract

EDITOR, - Neil McIntosh's comments with regard to the difficulty of obtaining fully informed consent for treatment for neonatal problems are a useful contribution to the current debate.1 They also ring true for paediatric oncologists, who, although committed to the concept of entering patients into randomised trials, often find it difficult to obtain truly informed consent from parents who are emotionally devastated by the recently acquired knowledge that their child has a life threatening condition. Frequently, requests for consent are met with blank stares, anger, or even the comment, You do …