Do mature minors have the right to privately consult with a medical professional?
<p>The title should be relatively self-explanatory. Do mature minors (aged 16 or older) have a legal right to privately consult with a medical professional, free from the involvement of a parent, guardian, or some other individual <em>in loco parentis</em>? </p>

<p>If there exists any applicable state law, Minnesota is my area of concern.</p>

<p>The answer from User6726 is true, but it leaves out some things. The minor may consent to medical treatment if he/she is living apart from the parents and managing his/her own finances. (Minn. Stat. § 144.341)</p>
<p>The full list of things a minor can consent to aside from that, are as follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p>to determine the presence of or to treat pregnancy and conditions associated
with pregnancy</p>
</li>
<li><p>for sexually transmitted infections</p>
</li>
<li><p>for alcohol or other drug abuse (Minn. Stat. § 144.343, subd. 1)</p>
</li>
<li><p>hepatitis B vaccinations (Minn. Stat. § 144.3441) and</p>
</li>
<li><p>blood donation (only those 17 and over; a 16-year-old can donate with
written consent from a parent or guardian) (Minn. Stat. § 145.41).</p>
</li>
<li><p>Health services may be provided to minors without the consent of a parent if, in the
health professional’s judgment, treatment should be given without delay, and if
obtaining consent would result in delay or denial of treatment</p>
</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>That list and a few other items can be found here: <a href="https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/ss/ssminorhc.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/ss/ssminorhc.pdf</a></p>

<p>If the minor is legally able to consent to the treatment, the parents do not have any rights to the minor's treatment. The <a href="https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/144.341" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Consent of Minors for Health Services</a> says when that is the case – living apart, married, have given birth, also for diagnosing pregnancy, substance abuse, "veneral disease", Hep-B vaccination (there is an abortion-related counter-command). If, for example, a minor wanted to be examined for a sprained ankle, that is not covered by the various minor-consent laws, so a parent/guardian would have to give consent, and would be entitled to be present during the consultation.</p>

united-states privacy medical minor human-rights