Euthanasia for Kids Kicks off in Belgium

The first death under the country's new law occurred last week

by Michael Cook
MercatorNet

September 2016 is a landmark, of sorts. It marks the first time that a child has been euthanised under contemporary euthanasia laws. The death occurred last week in the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, although it was announced on Saturday by Belgium's euthanasia supremo, Wim Distelmans. His words were sober and solemn, as befitted the occasion, but I suspect that he and his colleagues are quietly happy to see the boundaries of euthanasia spread even further.

Of course, the euthanasia of new-born infants is relatively common in that part of the world, but not of children who are old enough to be asked if they really want to be killed.

While the details of the death were not disclosed, even the age, Dr Distelmans described it as an exceptional case of a child with a terminal illness living in the Flemish-speaking section of Belgium. "Fortunately there are very few children who are considered (for euthanasia) but that does not mean we should refuse them the right to a dignified death," he told the Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.


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Canada: The World has Gone MAD

The government will help you violate your conscience

by Paul Russell
MercatorNet

We've seen many times before how those pushing for euthanasia and assisted suicide create all sorts of euphemisms to disguise and to soften attitudes away from natural repulsion at the thought of a doctor killing a patient or in helping them to suicide.

Medically Assisted Dying is one of those fudges. Or, as the Canadians are now calling it, 'Medical Assistance in Dying'.

And when the various bureaucracies begin to deal with their processes, procedures and documentation, as is often the case, they will look for an acronym. Though it seems quite apposite to use MAD, this simply will not do.

Instead MAID is now being used on official documents, evocative of a domestic helper or an assistant paid to help make you dead. At least MAID will save on paper, being much shorter than: 'Making your patient dead - a step by step guide.'

http://www.mercatornet.com/careful/view/canada-the-world-has-gone-mad/18347

Oregon Releases its 2015 ‘Death with Dignity’ Stats

by Michael Cook
Careful! - A Blog About End of Life Issues
MercatorNet.com

Oregon is the model for assisted suicide legislation throughout the United States, so its annual “Death with Dignity” report for 2015 deserves close scrutiny.

Since the law was passed in 1997, a total of 1,545 people have had prescriptions written under the DWDA, and 991 patients have died from ingesting the medications.

The figures are not as straightforward as they might seem. During 2015, 218 people received prescriptions for lethal medications, but only 132 people died. Why the difference? Many people keep the medication on hand and wait until they are ready to use it – which could be in the next calendar year. Some die before using it; some disappear from the official statistics. So, of the 218, 125 used the medication and died; 50 died before they used it; 5 died and Oregon does not know whether or not they used it; and for 38 people (17%), there is no information about whether they used it or whether they are alive or dead.   

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Michael Cook is editor of MercatorNet.

Careful! is MercatorNet's blog about end-of-life issues. We respect the dignity of each person from the beginning of life to its natural end.

Voices for the Unborn is dedicated to informing and educating the public on pro-life and pro-family issues. To read our Mission Statement, use this link. You can also follow us on Facebook, Google, and Pinterest. Help spread the word by sharing our articles on your favorite social networks.