Physicians have an obligation to report parents to the local Child Protective Services if they suspect that the parents are using corporal punishment as a form of discipline.
An ethical case describes the use of a virtual consultation with a pediatric psychiatrist when a 6-year-old boy seen in the emergency room has injuries suspected to be due to child abuse.
Readers are referred to an article by Neil Farber et al in the Archives of Internal Medicine to discuss whether it is appropriate for physicians to administer lethal injections for capital punishment when medical society policies forbid physician participation.