Parental rights, child welfare, and public health: the case of PKU screening.

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Abstract
The right of parents to refuse consent for phenylketonuria (PKU) screening is discussed in terms of moral justifications. The authors take the position that the primary function of a parental consent requirement is to protect children's welfare. In the case of PKU screening, the intervention poses minimal risk of harm while refusal of screening poses a significant risk to the child. Therefore, the principle of preventing harm overrides the parental right to refuse PKU screening.