The actual ruling on the case which yalbmert99 refers to can be read here (in French).
The case was heard on 19th August 2022 and the parties were the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec – Université Laval ("CHUQ") as Applicant and the parents of the infant, RC and MP, as Defendants. The case was heard before Judge Philippe Cantin with the hospital's Legal Affairs Dept. representing CHUQ, and W. Glen How representing the parents.
The context of the case was that the child of the defendants was born at 26
weeks and 6 days pregnant, which is extremely premature. The hospital was seeking authorization to
administer blood products which the parents opposed because of their
religious beliefs.
The doctor explained
that the child was hospitalized in the intensive care unit and, although it was currently in good condition, that was likely to deteriorate rapidly. Urgent
transfusions might be required should there be active bleeding, surgery, or clinical
degradation associated with anemia, thrombocytopenia, or bleeding disorder.
The parents argued that authorization should not be granted since the current
state of their child's health did not require a transfusion.The Court held that
the preponderance of the evidence showed that the state of the child's health did require the care offered by CHUQ.
It authorized CHUQ to administer
transfusions of blood products if it is deemed medically appropriate, but ordered them to minimize this to the extent that the child's state of
health permits. It also directed them to inform the parents
each time a transfusion of blood products is to be administered to the child and to provide them with any reasonable explanation for this procedure.
