Ethical Considerations: Pediatric Short-Term Medical Missions in Developing Countries

ABSTRACT

For many years pediatric healthcare experts have debated how much benefit was derived by host nations from the well intentioned efforts of Pediatric Short-Term Medical Missions (STMMs). Most of the literature on STMMs, while limited, has focused on frameworks for the delivery of care. Today the focus of these endeavors is on the ethical implications. The purpose of this article is to describe how the focus of STMMs has changed over the past 15 years from delivery of care frameworks to ethical considerations.

KEYWORDS:

• Developing countries
• ethics
• pediatrics
• short-term medical missions

Acknowledgment

The author gratefully acknowledges the support and encouragement of Dr. Sarah Rodriguez, Global Health Studies program at Northwestern University.

Declaration of interest

This manuscript has not been published elsewhere and has not been submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere. The author has no conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, to disclose.