Marvin Mandel, Governor                        1631

practice medicine, as a person of full legal age and capacity, the
infancy of the said minor and any contrary provisions of law not-
withstanding; and the consent shall not be subject to later dis-
affirmance by reason of minority; and the consent of no other person
or persons (including, but not limited to a spouse, parent, custodian,
or guardian) shall be necessary in order to authorize the hospital or
clinical care or services or medical or surgical care or services to be
provided by a physician licensed to practice medicine to the minor
or minor's child.

(b)  Upon the advice and direction of a treating physician or if
more than one, any one of them, member of the medical staff of a
hospital, public clinic or physician licensed to practice medicine may,
but shall not be obligated to, inform the spouse, parent, custodian,
or guardian of a minor in the circumstances enumerated in subsec-
tion (a) hereof, as to the treatment given or needed, and the infor-
mation may be given to or withheld from the spouse, parent, custo-
dian or guardian without the consent of the minor patient and over
the express refusal of the minor patient providing the information;
the providing or withholding of the information rests in the sole
discretion of a member of the medical staff of the hospital or public
clinic or the physician licensed to practice medicine, as the case
may be. If the minor is found not to be pregnant or not afflicted
with a venereal disease, no information with respect to any appoint-
ment, examination, test, or other medical procedure shall be given
to the spouse, parent, custodian, or guardian of the minor.

(c)  The provision of this section apply also to minors who profess
to be in need of hospital or clinical care or services or medical or
surgical care or services to be provided by a physician licensed to
practice medicine, whether because of suspected pregnancy or vene-
real disease, regardless of whether the professed suspicions of preg-
nancy or venereal disease are or are not subsequently substantiated
on a medical basis.

(d)   Any consent given pursuant to the provisions of this section
by a minor shall not be deemed to be valid if, following a delivery
or other termination of a pregnancy, it is determined that surgery
not directly connected with the pregnancy is required or shall be
requested.]

(a) A minor shall have the same capacity to consent to medical
treatment as an adult if one or more of the following apply:

(1) the minor has attained the age of eighteen (18) years.

(2) the minor has graduated from high school.

(3) (2) the minor is married or the mother PARENT of a child.

(4) (3) the minor seeks treatment or advice concerning venereal
disease, pregnancy or contraception not amounting to sterilization.

(5) (6) (4) in the judgment of a physician treating a minor, the
obtaining of consent of any other person would result in such delay
of treatment as would adversely affect the life or health of the minor.

(5) THE MINOR SEEKS TREATMENT OR ADVICE CON-
CERNING ANY FORM OF DRUG ABUSE AS DEFINED IN
SECTION 2 (D) OF ARTICLE 43B OF THE ANNOTATED CODE.