MATURITY OF CHILDREN TO CONSENT TO MEDICAL-RESEARCH - THE BABYSITTER TEST

The age of maturity of children to consent for medical research is und er debate, as different authorities regard the capacity of young teena gers as either satisfactory or not to grant consent without parental p articipation in the process. The present paper contrasts the generally accepted guideline for ethics in paediatric research in Canada with w hat the same children are allowed and expected to be able to do as bab ysitters. This comparison reveals deep incongruences in the way the ma turity of the same children is appreciated for two different tasks.