Politics
Friday September 30, 2005
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
Netherlands Set to Give Go-Ahead to Child Euthanasia
AMSTERDAM, September 30, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Dutch officials are set to give child euthanasia the go-ahead. The practice is already widespread there with an estimated 15-20 cases per year despite it being illegal. No paediatricians have been prosecuted. The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia in 2001.
The governing Christian Democrats said they will approve the Groningen Protocol, the child euthanasia guidelines named after the euthanist doctors from Groningen University Medical Centre. The protocol suggests that euthanasia be permitted when a child is terminally ill with no hope of recovery and in pain, and that parents are in agreement with the opinions of two doctors.
The government plans to set up a commission that will review that all the conditions have been met, or else a public prosecutor will become involved. So far no doctors committing child euthanasia have been prosecuted, even though it is still illegal.
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia paediatrician and ethicist Dr. Chris Feudtner told the AP he vehemently opposes the Dutch government’s decision. “I categorically do not endorse ending people's lives with the argument that it's alleviating their suffering,” he said. “I think too often the impulse is to resort to extreme measures because we're not being effective enough in the management of pain. If you allow it to occur, it will occur in cases where it is not ethical, period,” he added.
The vice-president of the Pontifical Academy for Life roundly condemned the Dutch proposal to extend euthanasia to children under the age of 12 last year. Bishop Elio Sgreccia said that with this policy, “the final boundary will have been crossed.”
See the CP report:
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/050929/w092978.html
See related LifeSiteNews.com reports:
Dutch Proposal for Euthanasia of Children Blasted by Vatican
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/sep/04090709.html
Infant Euthanasia Underreported in Netherlands, Study Finds
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/mar/05031102.html
Dutch Doctors Admit to Euthanizing Babies
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/nov/04113005.html
Dutch Euthanasia Doctor Admits to Killing 4 Newborns With Lethal Injections
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/apr/05042706.html
tv
Back to TopSHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook
Latest Headlines
- Human Rights Commission Drops Complaint Against Catholic Magazine
- Canada's Catholic Bishops United in Opposition to Order of Canada Being Awarded to Morgentaler
- Highlights from Canada's Debate on the Morgentaler Order of Canada Fiasco
- Golden Arches Awash in Rainbow Colors: Family Group Boycotts McDonalds for Support for Homosexual Agenda
- Bishops Investigate Report: 39 Abortions, 9684 Sterilizations Performed in Texas Catholic Hospitals
- President Bush and Senator McCain Address National Right to Life Conference
- Formal Request Filed to Terminate Morgentaler's Appointment to the Order of Canada
- UK Catholic, Muslim Doctors May be Forced to Refer for Abortion
- UK Contraception and Abortion Promoters calling for Sex Ed for Four Year-Olds
- LAPD Sued for Alleged Discrimination against Officer's Religious Beliefs
- Foremost Expert on Contraception Says the Pill is Not Working - It's "Outdated"
- Letters to the Editor for Friday, July 4
- Morgentaler Order of Canada Protest Set for July 9 in Ottawa
- LifeSiteNews Now on Facebook - Join Our Group, Spread the Word
Most Read this Week
- Archbishop Calls All Catholics to Demand National Award to Abortion Doc be Revoked
- Pro-Life Groups Horrified by Morgentaler's Appointment to the Order of Canada
- Pro-Life Group Appalled that Abortionist Morgentaler Would Even be Considered for Order of Canada
- Human Rights Commission Drops Complaint Against Catholic Magazine
- Online Polls Ask Whether Morgentaler Should Have Been Awarded Order of Canada
- Confirmed: Advisory Council Has Voted to Award Order of Canada to Abortionist Henry Morgentaler
- Numerous MPs Condemn Morgentaler Order of Canada Decision
- Order of Canada Members Return their Awards Over Morgentaler Decision
- Official Announcement of Arch-Abortionist Morgentaler Receiving Order of Canada
- National Group Launches Petition Calling for Morgentaler Order of Canada Appointment to be Revoked
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any Internet re-publishing of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews that have come from other news sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.