English law relating to experimentation on children

Abstract

Children who are capable of understanding and coming to a decision on what is involved in a non-therapeutic experimental procedure are as able as adults to give a legally effective consent to such procedures. There is no "age of consent" in this context, for capacity to consent depends on the child's intellectual capability and the complexity of the procedure in question. Where a child is incapable of consenting on his own behalf a parent may give a legally effective consent to non-therapeutic procedures which are in the public interest and are not in any significant way detrimental to the child's interests. The procedure need not be for the benefit of the child.