Schematic representation of different approaches towards the need for informed permission, assent/consent according to different dominions
| Dominion | Developmental stages | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prenatal | Infancy/childhood | ||||
| Fetus | Newborns | Infants | Childhood | Adulthood* Adolescence | |
| *Adulthood: usually but not always legally defined. | |||||
| †Parents: mother or/and father or legally authorised person. | |||||
| Demography (age in years) | 0 | 0 | ⩽2 | >2 to ⩽14 | >14 |
| Biological relationship; possible forms of permission to research | Parents; informed permission† | Parents; informed permission† | Parents; informed permission† | ||
| Fetus; implicit assent | Infant; implicit assent | Child; assent | Child; assent or consent | ||
| Philosophy | Status as a human being recognised only when the full capability of free decision is reached | Full capability of free decision (age, maturity) | |||
| Religion | Status as a human being recognised from conception onwards | ||||
| Ethics | Ethical regulators: decisions apply to all ages | ||||
| Law | Status as a human and requirement/possibility for individual consent depending on national legislations | ||||