NationStates Jolt Archive

Child Euthanasia Already Happens Everywhere, Says Dutch Hospital
By Eva Cahen
CNSNews.com Correspondent
December 13, 2004

Paris (CNSNews.com) - The disclosure by a Dutch hospital that it has carried out euthanasia on terminally ill newborn babies has shocked pro-life groups, but the institution claims it is merely trying to bring into the open a practice already happening around the world.

The Groningen Academic Hospital is asking the Dutch government to approve guidelines legalizing euthanasia on newborns described as enduring "unbearable suffering" and with "no hope of a future."

The hospital has admitted doing so in the case of three babies last year.

Full Text: http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200412/CUL20041213b.html

There are too many dutch people to begin with.

The Jews at work.

First I'm going to ignore that comment about the Jews considering that there aren't a hell of a lot of them in the Netherlands. But second, as someone pro-choice it bothers me that someone decided to act in a way that would give validation to an otherwise ridiculous slipperly-slope argument. This is one of the many reasons why as much as I can respect some European values like those of social welfare, this is one of those times where I'm glad I live in the United States (the whole headscarf thing in France was the other).

Because we all know babies deserve to suffer. :rolleyes:

Any doctor that isnt a religious freak will tell you its a common practice, to kill highly deficient babies.

The last one got huge media profile. But it was in England. I think so.

yeah i read about this a couple weeks ago. i dont know why it should shock anyone, its very hard for parents and compassionate medical professionals to watch babies suffer when they are going to die soon anyway.

yeah i read about this a couple weeks ago. i dont know why it should shock anyone, its very hard for parents and compassionate medical professionals to watch babies suffer when they are going to die soon anyway. There have been VERY ill ones who were saved and are now happy people now, though.

(the whole headscarf thing in France was the other).
I'd just like to remind you that France banned ALL religious symbols from public buildings, not just headscarfs.

yeah i read about this a couple weeks ago. i dont know why it should shock anyone, its very hard for parents and compassionate medical professionals to watch babies suffer when they are going to die soon anyway.
I agree. Those babies also have the right to die in dignity and if it brings a painless end to their suffering, why not? But I do think at least a couple of doctors have to agree that there is absolutely nothing that can be done to save that baby (as is the case in The Netherlands I believe).

There have been VERY ill ones who were saved and are now happy people now, though.
except that they arent talking about those babies
they are talking about babies who are going to die, not those who just have bad odds of surviving.

You can't handle the truth.

Are Youth In Asia really everywhere?

Are Youth In Asia really everywhere?
LMAO. A classic, but still funny. :)

It has been in the news, but there's a general acceptance of this practise here. You could've asked me a year ago, we know it's going on.

And why not? If there are two options:
1) the child suffers two months before dying because of it's born deficit;
2) the child's life is ended immediately after birth (if it's not possible to abort the pregnancy)

What would you choose?

I imagine that each case would be looked at very carefully, I don't see any doctor (or parent) condoning euthanasia on any child that had even a remote chance of making enough of a recovery to live some sort of happy life.

Termination of foetus's when they are known to have an incurable disease (like Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy) are common place for couples looking for a healthy "viable" child (In the case of Duchenne MD it is nearly always boys who suffer from it, so a female foetus is desired).

Many parents suffer days/weeks/months/years of anguish caring for a child who will ultimately die before they are three, these kids often go through very painful periods of illness and many don't even know whats happening to them. I think it's better all round to spare not only the parents the pain and anguish they must feel watching a child suffer, but also it's better to let the poor tots die a painfree death instead of subjecting them to all the painful medical procedures required to keep them alive.

If a child has any potential to recover (through surgery or meds, or both) then of course they should be afforded every possible means of care but when the prognosis is death no matter what doctors do then euthanasia is the "right" thing to do.