This is a campaign specifically for citizens of Cabarrus County who are constituents of Representative Dr. Kristin Baker.
Last year a Parents’ Bill of Rights was passed to assure that NC parents can make medical decisions for their minor children, but it is meaningless because of a loophole. The loophole points to an NC law that says children of any age (0-17) in NC are able to make their own medical decisions (including the decision to vaccinate, have certain surgeries or take medications for “emotional disturbance”) WITHOUT their parents’ knowledge or consent.
Cabarrus County Representative Dr. Kristin Baker, a Republican, is supporting a child’s ability to consent (without parents’ knowledge or consent) to these controversial therapies.
Though Rep. Baker agrees the age of zero must be fixed, her stance on the issue is in alignment with the NC Medical Society whose website clearly states:
“RESOLVED, That the North Carolina Medical Society supports the authority of minors to give effective consent to receive health services for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of venereal disease; other diseases reportable under NCGS 130A-135, or any successor statute; pregnancy; abuse of controlled substances or alcohol, and emotional disturbance.”
She is working behind closed doors to “fix” the ridiculous age of zero, but she has every intention to select an arbitrary age below 18, the standard age of consent, and we have no idea what that will be. Apparently, Dr. Baker’s actions are controlled by the NC Medical Society, whose resolution doesn’t even state a minimum age.
The vast majority of doctors in NC are not members of the NC Medical Society, and the ones we have spoken with do not agree that children are cognitively able to consent to medical treatments without parental support.
The law presents broad and open-ended language which would allow any health care provider to coerce children of any age and any capacity to consent to a number of medical treatments, including vaccination.
As a chair of the House Healthcare Committee and a doctor, Rep. Baker wields significant power in correcting the current age of zero, and she seems poised to choose an age above zero, but only one that is agreeable to the NC Medical Society.
Dr. Baker’s rationale for preserving the loophole is that abusive parents might deny therapies for treatment/prevention of disease, pregnancy, substance abuse, or emotional disturbance. There are laws to protect children from abuse, and extreme cases make for bad policy and law.
Assigning medical consent to an age below 18 presumes that minor children, including children with developmental disabilities, have the ability to assess their own risk and the nuance of risk-benefit analysis with regard to their own health histories.
Minors cannot be expected to give informed consent, an ethically required component of every medical treatment.
Over 50% of children in the U.S., including North Carolina, have a serious chronic health condition. How can these children give consent to invasive medical procedures without parental guidance?
Minor children are not legally allowed to vote, purchase alcohol or cigarettes, get a tattoo, or consent to any other invasive medical procedure. It’s unethical to place the burden of medical decision making on minors.
The only acceptable “fix” is to amend the Parents’ Bill of Rights to supersede Article 1A, Chapter 90, PART 1, as the law has other alarming elements. For example, Part 1 also says that if a parent refuses to consent to a medical procedure, and a delay would seriously worsen the physical condition of the child, the doctor can override the parent’s decision if the doctor has a second opinion from another doctor.
Representative Baker’s term ends this year, and she’s not running for reelection. So, we need to make her realize that her legacy will be tainted if she leaves children in danger by allowing them to make serious decisions about their health, the ramifications of which they are too young to understand.
Please email and call Dr. Baker and let her know that Cabarrus County citizens are watching and that her reputation in the county will be influenced by her actions on this matter.