Children under 12 who are subjected to unbearable living conditions could be allowed euthanasia under a new proposal from Dutch Minister for Health Ernst Kuipers.
The children in question can choose to be euthanised if there is zero possibility of recovery and are expected to “die in the foreseeable future”, reports RTL Nieuws.
The doctor must consult with another independent doctor and discuss the full diagnosis and prognosis of the child.
The children’s parents must both agree to go along with the lethal process. However, parental consent is not enough if the child doesn’t want to end his life.
Minister Kuipers also explains that: “In a legal sense, the child does not have to agree to the termination of life. However, the doctor must make an effort to contact the child in a way that suits the child’s comprehension level.”
Political sensitivity
Euthanasia is a sensitive topic in politics since it deals with heavy matters regarding life or death scenarios.
With no legal protocols for children aged between 1 and 12, parents are faced with two options: wait for their child to pass on or keep relieving their pain with palliative sedation.
The current Euthanasia Act only applies to children aged 12 and older since they are considered old enough to fully understand the matter of their situation, says de Volkskrant.
Euthanasia in the Netherlands
Euthanasia of people over 12 years old has been decriminalised in the Netherlands since 2002. The Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide Act states that physicians cannot be punished for euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide provided due care is taken.
Due care includes the patient’s request, the level of suffering, the information provided to the patient, the absence of reasonable alternatives, consultation by another physician, and more. Each case also must go through a separate review committee.
In 2016 there were 6,091 cases of euthanasia in the Netherlands.
Next steps
For now, children under 12 are considered as lacking the ability to completely oversee and reason with their situation.
Minister Kuipers submitted a draft scheme about the sensitive proposition to the House of Representatives to gather advice about the matter from other relevant parties.
Kuipers must wait until October to further inform the House of Representatives about the proposition and determine if or when the regulation will come into effect.
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The premeditated killing of another human being is murder. It does not matter if you are an atheist, an agnostic, or if you are religious; only a heartless ghoul would sanction the slaying of a child. And parents who wish to murder their children are unspeakable monsters.