Child euthanasia
Encyclopedia
Child euthanasia is a controversial form of non-voluntary euthanasia that is applied to children who are gravely ill or suffer from significant birth defects.
Some critics have compared child euthanasia to infanticide
. Others, such as Joseph Fletcher
, founder of situational ethics and a euthanasia proponent, proposed that infanticide be permitted in cases of severe birth defects. Fletcher says that unlike the sort of infanticide perpetrated by very disturbed people, in such cases child euthanasia could be considered humane; a logical and acceptable extension of abortion
. American bioethicist Jacob M. Appel
goes one step further, arguing that pediatric euthanasia may be ethical even in the absence of parental consent.
, euthanasia remains technically illegal for patients under the age of 12. However, Eduard Verhagen
has documented several cases of infant euthanasia. Together with colleagues and prosecutors, he has developed a protocol to be followed in those cases. Prosecutor
s will refrain from pressing charges if this "Groningen Protocol
" is followed.
The legalization of euthanasia for children prompted a very critical response from Elio Sgreccia
, the head of the Pontifical Academy for Life
.
launched an enquiry in 2006 into critical care
in fetal and neonatal medicine, looking at the ethical, social and legal issues which may arise when making decisions surrounding treating extremely premature babies
.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
, in its submission, recommended that a public debate
be started around the options of "non-resuscitation
, withdrawal of treatment decisions, the best interests
test and active euthanasia" for "the sickest of newborns". The College stated that there should be discussion over whether "deliberate intervention" to cause death in severely disabled newborn babies should be legalised; it stated that while it was not necessarily in favour of the move, it felt the issues should be debated. The College stated in this submission that having these options would save some families from years of emotional and financial suffering; it might also reduce the number of late abortions, "as some parents would be more confident about continuing a pregnancy and taking a risk on outcome". In response to this proposal, Pieter Sauer, a senior paediatrician in the Netherlands, argued that British neonatologists already perform "mercy killings" and should be allowed to do so openly.
The Church of England
submission to the enquiry supported the view that doctors should be given the right to withhold treatment from seriously disabled newborn babies in exceptional circumstances, and the Christian Medical Fellowship
stated that when treatment would be "a burden" this was not euthanasia.
Some critics have compared child euthanasia to infanticide
Infanticide
Infanticide or infant homicide is the killing of a human infant. Neonaticide, a killing within 24 hours of a baby's birth, is most commonly done by the mother.In many past societies, certain forms of infanticide were considered permissible...
. Others, such as Joseph Fletcher
Joseph Fletcher
Joseph Fletcher was an American professor who founded the theory of situational ethics in the 1960s, and was a pioneer in the field of bioethics. Fletcher was a leading academic involved in the topics of abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, eugenics, and cloning. Ordained as an Episcopal priest, he...
, founder of situational ethics and a euthanasia proponent, proposed that infanticide be permitted in cases of severe birth defects. Fletcher says that unlike the sort of infanticide perpetrated by very disturbed people, in such cases child euthanasia could be considered humane; a logical and acceptable extension of abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. American bioethicist Jacob M. Appel
Jacob M. Appel
Jacob M. Appel is an American author, bioethicist and social critic. He is best known for his short stories, his work as a playwright, and his writing in the fields of reproductive ethics, organ donation, neuroethics and euthanasia....
goes one step further, arguing that pediatric euthanasia may be ethical even in the absence of parental consent.
The Netherlands
In the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, euthanasia remains technically illegal for patients under the age of 12. However, Eduard Verhagen
Eduard Verhagen
Eduard Verhagen is an attorney and the medical director of the department of pediatrics at the University Medical Center Groningen . He is mainly known for his involvement in infant euthanasia in the Netherlands....
has documented several cases of infant euthanasia. Together with colleagues and prosecutors, he has developed a protocol to be followed in those cases. Prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
s will refrain from pressing charges if this "Groningen Protocol
Groningen Protocol
The Groningen Protocol is a text created in September 2004 by Eduard Verhagen, the medical director of the department of pediatrics at the University Medical Center Groningen in Groningen, The Netherlands...
" is followed.
The legalization of euthanasia for children prompted a very critical response from Elio Sgreccia
Elio Sgreccia
Elio Sgreccia is a bioethicist and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is President emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life....
, the head of the Pontifical Academy for Life
Pontifical Academy for Life
The Pontifical Academy for Life or Pontificia Accademia Pro Vita is a Pontifical Academy of the Roman Catholic Church dedicated to promoting the Church's consistent life ethic...
.
United Kingdom
The Nuffield Council on BioethicsNuffield Council on Bioethics
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is a UK-based independent charitable body, which examines and reports on ethical issues raised by new advances in biological and medical research...
launched an enquiry in 2006 into critical care
Intensive care medicine
Intensive-care medicine or critical-care medicine is a branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and management of life threatening conditions requiring sophisticated organ support and invasive monitoring.- Overview :...
in fetal and neonatal medicine, looking at the ethical, social and legal issues which may arise when making decisions surrounding treating extremely premature babies
Premature birth
In humans preterm birth refers to the birth of a baby of less than 37 weeks gestational age. The cause for preterm birth is in many situations elusive and unknown; many factors appear to be associated with the development of preterm birth, making the reduction of preterm birth a challenging...
.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is a professional association based in the UK. Its members, including people with and without medical degrees, work in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, that is, pregnancy, childbirth, and female sexual and reproductive health...
, in its submission, recommended that a public debate
Public debate
Public debate is a formal style of debate. Two teams of two compete through six rounds of argument, giving persuasive speeches on a particular topic.- Pre-Debate :...
be started around the options of "non-resuscitation
Do not resuscitate
In medicine, a "do not resuscitate" or "DNR" is a legal order written either in the hospital or on a legal form to respect the wishes of a patient to not undergo CPR or advanced cardiac life support if their heart were to stop or they were to stop breathing...
, withdrawal of treatment decisions, the best interests
Best interests
Best interests or best interests of the child is the doctrine used by most courts to determine a wide range of issues relating to the well-being of children. The most important of these issues concern questions that arise upon the divorce or separation of the children's parents...
test and active euthanasia" for "the sickest of newborns". The College stated that there should be discussion over whether "deliberate intervention" to cause death in severely disabled newborn babies should be legalised; it stated that while it was not necessarily in favour of the move, it felt the issues should be debated. The College stated in this submission that having these options would save some families from years of emotional and financial suffering; it might also reduce the number of late abortions, "as some parents would be more confident about continuing a pregnancy and taking a risk on outcome". In response to this proposal, Pieter Sauer, a senior paediatrician in the Netherlands, argued that British neonatologists already perform "mercy killings" and should be allowed to do so openly.
The Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
submission to the enquiry supported the view that doctors should be given the right to withhold treatment from seriously disabled newborn babies in exceptional circumstances, and the Christian Medical Fellowship
Christian Medical Fellowship
The Christian Medical Fellowship , founded in 1949, is an evangelical, interdenominational organisation that links together Christian doctors and medical students in the UK....
stated that when treatment would be "a burden" this was not euthanasia.
See also
- Joseph Maraachli caseJoseph Maraachli caseThe Joseph Maraachli case refers to an international controversy over the life of Joseph Maraachli, commonly known as Baby Joseph, a Canadian infant who was diagnosed with a rare progressive and incurable neurologic disorder called Leigh's disease...
- Harry J. HaiseldenHarry J. HaiseldenHarry John Haiselden was the Chief Surgeon at the German-American Hospital in Chicago in 1915 who refused to perform needed surgery for children born with severe birth defects and allowed the babies to die, in an act of eugenics.-Biography:He was born on March 16, 1870 in Plano, Illinois to...
, euthanized a baby in 1915 - Robert LatimerRobert LatimerRobert William "Bob" Latimer , a Canadian canola and wheat farmer, was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of his daughter Tracy . This case sparked a national controversy on the definition and ethics of euthanasia as well as the rights of people with disabilities, and led to two...
- The GiverThe GiverThe Giver is a 1993 soft science fiction novel by Lois Lowry. It is set in a society which is at first presented as a utopian society and gradually appears more and more dystopian. The novel follows a boy named Jonas through the twelfth year of his life...