Next up in the Netherlands: euthanasia for babies

PARIS - Four years after becoming the first nation formally to legalize euthanasia, the Netherlands is set to amend its legislation to provide for the euthanasia of newborn babies, under certain circumstances.

In 2001, the Dutch government passed a law allowing doctors to end the life of adult patients at their own request. The new directive, which will be debated in parliament later this month and most likely approved without a vote, will extend the regulations to incorporate what is known as the Groningen Protocol. Under these guidelines, parents can give consent for children to be killed, if they are suffering from severe pain and are terminally ill.

„This is dangerous because the question is, what will be the next extension?” said Bert Dorenbos, chairman of Cry for Life, a pro-life organization in the Netherlands. „It can be very dangerous when our lives are in the hands of political parties or subjective groups.”

The Groningen Academic Hospital, where doctors drew up the guidelines, made headlines last year when it admitted publicly that it had carried out euthanasia on terminally ill newborn babies. The hospital claimed the practice was common elsewhere in the world, including in the US.

Government officials said there were 10-15 cases of child euthanasia in the Netherlands every year and doctors were eager for the directive to be adopted so they will not be prosecuted. „Child euthanasia is already being practiced”, Dorenbos said. „And now they will have political approval for it.”

The Groningen Protocol lists several criteria for making a decision on ending a child’s life. There should be severe pain and suffering and no hope for a cure or relief through medical treatment, and an independent doctor must provide a second opinion. Parents must also give consent.

The new guidelines are also expected to call for the establishment of an independent commission which will examine each case. It could refer cases for prosecution if laid-down conditions are not met.

The 2001 euthanasia law and the new directive have drawn little public opposition in the Netherlands. Although the ruling coalition has announced that it would review the country’s abortion and euthanasia laws in November, no-one expects them to be changed. „There is only concern about this among church groups here”, said Dorenbos. „We see there is more concern outside of Holland than in Holland itself.”

Apart from the Netherlands, euthanasia or physician assisted suicide is legal under specified conditions in Belgium, Switzerland and in the U.S. state of Oregon. (Crosswalk)