A teenage girl examines a pregnancy test. (Photo: Connect Images)
Earlier this month, the North Carolina House of Representatives passed House Bill 519, also known as the “Parents’ Medical Bill of Rights.” As a board certified OBGYN who treats minors, I am deeply concerned about the implications of this bill. This legislation, which aims to revise the laws regarding minors’ consent to medical treatment and parental access to medical records, poses significant risks to the health and wellbeing of patients across the state.
HB 519 will impede the trust young patients have in their medical providers and therefore undermine the confidentiality of their care. Currently, North Carolina law allows minors to consent to treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), pregnancy, substance abuse, and mental health issues without parental involvement. This provision is crucial for ensuring that young patients feel safe seeking medical help without fear of judgment or repercussions from their parents.
By mandating parental consent for these sensitive treatments, the bill risks deterring minors from seeking necessary medical care. This could lead to untreated STIs (which can lead to future infertility), unaddressed mental health issues, and unintended pregnancies, all of which have serious long-term consequences for our young North Carolinians’ health and wellbeing.
The trust between patients and healthcare providers is foundational to effective medical care. Confidentiality is a cornerstone of this trust, particularly for minors who may be navigating complex and sensitive health issues. HB 519 threatens to erode this trust by introducing parental oversight into the patient-provider relationship. Healthcare providers may find themselves in difficult positions, having to balance the legal requirements of HB 519 with our ethical duty to protect patient confidentiality.
Advocates for HB 519 argue that the exclusion of parental consent in our current laws leaves children to navigate serious medical situations alone. This perspective completely ignores the role that healthcare providers like myself play in the navigation of these issues. We do not leave our young patients “alone” to navigate their medical decisions, but instead provide thoughtful guidance, including often suggesting the involvement of their parent(s) in their medical care. Unfortunately, for some of my young patients, their medical team members are the only trusted adults in their lives, and if they are required to obtain parental consent to seek treatment, they simply will not do so.
House Bill 519, while ostensibly aimed at empowering parents, poses significant risks to the health and wellbeing of minors in North Carolina. By undermining confidentiality, creating barriers to mental health and reproductive care, and hindering substance abuse treatment, the bill jeopardizes the autonomy and safety of young patients. As a physician who treats young patients, I urge the lawmakers to reconsider the implications of HB 519 and prioritize the health and rights of minors in our state.
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