Does a minor have the right to refuse medical treatment in the USA?
Generally, no. A parent (or legal guardian) has the authority to make any medical decisions for a minor. The only exception may be a minor female who is pregnant. She may make medical decisions regarding her pregnancy, but the “emancipation” is generally limited to decisions regarding the pregnancy. Recently, there have also been cases where a child seeks to refuse treatment/use alternative treatments (especially for cancer), and the parents are in agreement with that decision. In those cases, the state has actually gotten involved, and charged the parents with neglect for not requiring the child to undergo medically-accepted treatments. Judges will often order the child to undergo traditional treatment, unless the child and the parents can show that they fully understand the potential consequences of not following accepted medical advice.
