With the passing of the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984, the United States government has created a framework for legal intervention into controversial Baby Doe cases where handicapped newborns are denied medical treatment, including hydration and nutrition. Both sides of four issues in this controversy are discussed: (a) the parents' right, after consulting with their physicians, to make the final decision to treat or to forego treatment for their disabled infants; (b) the omission of the notion of "quality of life" from the law; (c) the excessive financial burdens imposed as a result of decisions to treat; and (d) the role of the Infant Care Review Committees. In view of the evidence, the author supports the move toward federal intervention.
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