Final answer:
In an emergency where a minor requires surgery and parents are not available, the medical staff have the authority to proceed, as a family friend or operating room supervisor does not carry the legal authorization to give consent. In non-emergencies, parental consent is required, as indicated by Institutional Review Boards (IRB) for experiments. However, the urgency of saving the minor's life or preventing serious harm can allow medical professionals to act without explicit parental consent.
Step-by-step explanation:
When dealing with an emergency situation where a dependent minor requires surgery and parents or legal guardians cannot be reached, consent typically falls to the medical professionals in charge. For non-emergent cases, the parent's consent is paramount; however, in emergency situations where delaying surgery would result in harm to the minor, medical staff usually have the authority to proceed with necessary treatments to save the child's life or prevent serious harm, often under the legal doctrine of implied consent in emergencies. A family friend does not legally hold the authority to consent to surgery, and the operating room supervisor's role is clinical, not to provide consent on behalf of minors.
Institutional Review Boards (IRB) indicate that for experiments involving minors, informed consent must come from the parents or legal guardians. This same principle of needing parental consent for medical procedures including surgeries applies, but urgency and necessity can override this in life-threatening situations. Signing of consent in these emergency circumstances aims to safeguard the health and well-being of the minor whilst fulfilling ethical and legal responsibilities of the medical team.