Abstract

The paper reconstructs a famous ethical debate on the Baby Doe case. The consequence of the fact that contemporary medicine can not and probably should not treat all severely handicapped children is twofold: we have to establish who is entitled to decide on the ways of treatment in the case of incompetent children ; and what are the criteria of fair judgment. The second part of the paper is an overview of Polish legal regulations establishing the proper kinds of treatment in the case of terminally ill patients. The author concludes with some remarks on the place of ethical debate in political life of contemporary Poland.