Thursday, August 30, 2018

Dutch Minister of Health comments on forced euthanasia.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Hugo de Jonge, the Dutch Minister of Health condemns forced euthanasia.

Medish Contact reported that de Jonge was responding to the case of a doctor who killed a woman who resisted the euthanasia death when he stated: (google translated)
The holding or fixing of a patient prior to the execution of euthanasia, with the aim of preventing the patient from resisting, is and may not be part of the execution of euthanasia. That is what Minister Hugo de Jonge of VWS says in a letter to the House of Representatives, in which he responds to the current discussion about euthanasia in the case of incapacity.
The woman resisted euthanasia so the doctor put a sedative in the woman's coffee and then the doctor had the family hold her down. Medish Contact continued(google translated)
de Jonge also refers in the letter to the case of a demented woman, in whom the geriatric specialist added a sedative to the coffee prior to euthanasia to put her to sleep. The family also helped to hold the patient after she raised herself from her bed. de Jonge states that coercion for euthanasia pertinently is not in accordance with a responsible performance practice. He points out that in such a case two laws apply. Firstly, the euthanasia law (Wtl) and secondly the law for care and coercion. Only with the Law of Care and Compulsion are there exceptions to voluntariness and thus act without permission. Involuntary care, writes de Jonge, may only be used as a last resort. In addition, a step-by-step plan must be followed and external expertise must be engaged. With euthanasia there can be no question of care within the meaning of the Care and Compulsion Act, because euthanasia and also help with suicide are 'special medical treatment'.
de Jonge did not comment on the specifics of the case because it is the subject of a disciplinary case in which the geriatric specialist has appealed. There may still be a criminal investigation by the Public Prosecution Service into the case.

de Jonge is willing to discuss forced euthanasia but there is silence related to the studies that prove that there are more than 400 assisted deaths without consent in the Netherlands every year with most of these cases never being reported.

The world needs to know how the euthanasia law in the Netherlands is being abused.

7 comments:

Paul Anderson said...

The incident described in the article is appalling not only because euthanasia was forced on someone against their will, but also because of the remarkably weak kneed response by the Dutch authorities. Based on the description, this would be a clear case of intentional homicide. Yet the consequences amount to nothing more than a "reprimand". The fact that the medical review committee determined that the physician was acting "in good faith" when he premeditatedly forced euthanasia on a person who clearly did not want to die indicates the disturbing degree to which the denial of reality is implicit in the practice.

EthelG said...

How sad is this, and how shameful? Didn't the Netherlands help fight a war more than 70 years ago against an ideology like that? We must learn from history or we are condemned to repeat it.

M.S.C.A. M. de Rakovszky said...

For my understanding the cases mentioned are not euthanasia, but plain murder, for which the perpetrators should spend the rest of their life behind bars, and their assistents removed from their palce of employment, and prevented from working in such institutions, when not punished as assitants to murder‼

Katherine Smith said...

This information leaves chills in my bones. I believe that older adults will be given a choice for medically assisted dying due to the aging population in Canada and lack of resources. It won't be long before the most. vulnerable in our society will begin to feel an obligation to consent to euthanasia. What a slippery slope we are on.

Unknown said...

Shame on this health care practice in the Netherlands - forced euthanasia is a practice called "murder" It is just unbelievable in a country as the Netherlands that this inhumane practice is taking place. Where is your Christian believe in making these decisions? Unacceptable.

Brenda van der Meer
Kanata Ontario

Shucky said...

I thought the Dutch didn't like the Nazi regime...

Margaret Welwood said...

Good points, everyone. Let's all do our part to defend those who cannot defend themselves.