In When the council of ministers has decided the green light to theeuthanasia for children between the ages of one and twelve suffering from incurable diseases, thus healing a regulatory vacuum which, according to the Dutch doctors, was creating largely avoidable injustices and pain for patients and parents. The new law is in line with the proposals published last year by the Minister of Health Ernst Kuipers.
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It was Kuipers himself, during an interview with the parliamentarians, who announced that he intends 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. A terrible condition which, according to the ministry, affects between 5 and 10 children a year. “This is a particularly complex issue that concerns very painful situations,” said the minister, quoted by DutchNews. “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.”
Euthanasia on children, what the Dutch law provides
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: pediatricians fear that a change in the law could polarize the debate when, instead, practical solutions are needed for children’s discomfort. Euthanasia will therefore 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. THE mediciTo begin with, they 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 i 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. A survey of 72 doctors indicated that the vast majority find it acceptable to end the lives of acutely distressed children under 12 at the request of their parents, and that a new law should allow for this.