In the Netherlands the Council of Ministers has decided to give the go-ahead for euthanasia for children between the ages of one and twelve suffering from incurable diseases .
In this way, what Dutch doctors defined as a " regulatory vacuum that creates largely avoidable injustices and pain for patients and parents " has been remedied.
Health Minister Ernst Kuipers , during an interview with parliamentarians, had announced his intention to "extend and revise" the protocol, so far valid only for newborns, to also cover children aged twelve and under who suffer unbearably and for whom palliative care options are not sufficient to relieve symptoms.
" This is a particularly complex issue that involves very painful situations ," said the minister. "I am delighted that, after intensive consultation with all parties involved, we have reached a solution to help these children, their parents and also their doctors."
Dutch law, in fact, enforces the protocol on euthanasia for adults even for children who have completed twelve years of age. But for years doctors have been asking for clear rules for small patients below the threshold. However, euthanasia will only be possible when it is the only option to put an end to the suffering of the little ones. "We are talking about incurable children, for whom death is inevitable and will come soon," said Kuipers.
The procedure will obviously have to follow strict rules. Doctors, to begin with, must be convinced that the child's suffering is unbearable and that there is no cure or treatment to relieve the pain . The possibility of euthanasia must then be discussed with the parents and both must give their consent . Finally, the doctors will have to consult at least a third-party doctor, unrelated to the patient in question, who will assess whether all the criteria have been met before giving the green light.
(Unioneonline/L)
