TY - JOUR T1 - Medical ethics for children: applying the four principles to paediatrics JF - Journal of Medical Ethics JO - J Med Ethics SP - 141 LP - 145 DO - 10.1136/jme.2006.018747 VL - 34 IS - 3 AU - P Baines Y1 - 2008/03/01 UR - http://jme.bmj.com/content/34/3/141.abstract N2 - I will argue that there are difficulties with the application of the four principles approach to incompetent children. The most important principle – respect for autonomy – is not directly applicable to incompetent children and the most appropriate modification of the principle for them is not clear. The principle of beneficence – that one should act in the child’s interests – is complicated by difficulties in assessing what a child’s interests are and to which standard of interests those choosing for children should be held. A further problem with the four principles approach is that parental authority does not follow clearly from the four principles. ER -