Posted on 01/16/2008 4:24:59 PM PST by wagglebee
NETHERLANDS, January 16, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Dutch paediatric neurosurgeon Rob de Jong, in collaboration with peers from several other countries, has expressed his concern at the practice in the Netherlands of carrying out euthanasia on some babies born with spina bifida in an article in the medical journal Child's Nervous System.
According to a report by Radio Netherlands Worldwide, the lives of a small number of babies are terminated each year by doctors who, together with the parents, believe the infant is experiencing unbearable suffering and will continue to suffer in this way in the future.
In his article "Deliberate Termination of Life of Newborns with Spina Bifida, a Critical Reappraisal", Dr. de Jong argues that it is difficult to prove that the suffering of a baby or infant is or will remain unbearable, and cites a number of cases of physicians who, in retrospect, have been forced to acknowledge that their initial diagnosis was incorrect.
Dr. de Jong says he bases his case on medical evidence, not on ethical arguments that have normally been at the centre of nearly all discussions about euthanasia.
The Dutch Paediatric Association's guidelines for the active termination of life, that is, the performance of euthanasia on babies and infants, known as the Groningen Protocol, states that: the diagnosis and prognosis must be certain; hopeless and unbearable suffering must be present; the diagnosis, prognosis and unbearable suffering must be confirmed by at least one independent doctor; both parents must give informed consent; the procedure must be performed in accordance with the accepted medical standard.
Dr. de Jong contends that such a medical diagnosis/prognosis cannot be given with the requisite, certainty given the many variables and uncertainties involved.
The Dutch Paediatric Association spokesman Dr. Eduard Verhagen has dismissed the criticism expressed by Dr de Jong and his foreign colleagues, saying "they use too many technical arguments" and that all factors were looked at in depth when drawing up the protocol, so he sees no reason why the entire discussion should be repeated.
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Dutch Euthanasia Doctor Admits to Killing 4 Newborns With Lethal Injections
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/apr/05042706.html
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I have a dear friend with this condition.
He is bright and funny and talented and has worked hard all his life.
I can’t tell you how horrifying this is to me.
Get ready for this with “Hillary care”
Parents just don’t want damaged goods, or to have to deal with any inconveniences, so they willingly murder their children.
nice
I’m with you Bahbah. Friends of our family growing up had a boy with spina bifida and he was like a brother to me. Like you’re friend he was also very bright and was always the life of the party. Everyone loved him. I don’t know of anyone who disliked Chris. What he lacked in physical ability he more than made up for in personality and intellectual ability.
Sadly, he passed away when he was 25. But he lived more in those 25 years than some people do who live three times as long. He gave so much to everyone he knew. So many of us would have missed so much if he had been euthanised as a baby. I just can’t imagine.
Hitler would be proud to see that his ideas prevailed.
sw
They probably take it for granted (as everyone should) that euthanasia = murder, and therefore (as they see it) this term is not a euphemism. It’s just a name for a particular kind of murder, like infanticide or, shall we say, iatrogenic homicide.
Nut now the grandchildren of these heroic doctors are voluntarily murdering the untermenschen, the disabled, the elderly, babies born and unborn--- and congratulating themselves for being so enlightened, humane, and progressive.
Who won WWII? Really? Who won?
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