Netherlands euthanasia death of 17-year-old criticised

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The DutchNewsNL reported that the Dutch federation of doctors (KNMG) rebuked 14 psychiatrists for sending a letter to urge the prosecution office to investigate the euthanasia death of a 17-year-old.

The DutchNewsNL reported that:

The case revolves around Milou, who had suffered from depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts from the age of 11 following sexual abuse. She was again sexually abused in an institution by another patient.

After years of treatment and various suicide attempts, she chose euthanasia at the age of 17 on the grounds of unbearable mental suffering.

The letter from the 14 psychiatrists that asked the prosecution office to investigate the euthanasia death stated:

However, prominent psychiatrists disagreed and wrote to the public prosecution office, questioning the right of a minor to opt for euthanasia and whether it is right to assume that mental suffering cannot be cured.

In the letter they mention the “widespread promotion of euthanasia” which in their opinion could lead to “the unnecessary death” of young patients.

The DutchNewsNL also reported that:

Professor of psychiatry Damiaan Denys, who signed the letter to the public prosecution office, said the KNMG’s reaction was “unnecessary, unwise and late”, but admitted the letter may not have been the best way of calling attention to “the ease with which euthanasia is mentioned for young people with mental problems”

Since oversight of the Netherlands euthanasia law is based on an after the death reporting system, there has been almost no investigations by the prosecution office into controversial euthanasia deaths.

The KNMG should have stayed out of this issue. Urging the prosecution office to investigate a controversial euthanasia death should be welcome based on assuring that the law is being properly followed. These are questions of life and death.

Scotland's assisted suicide bill will die a natural death.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

On March 28, 2024, Liam McArthur (LibDem) MSP introduced the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill bill that was expected to receive its first debate sometime this fall in Scotland's legislature (Holyrood).

On October 1, 2024 Scottish Health Secretary, Neil Gray said that Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill was “outside the legislative competence.” Therefore, McArthur's assisted suicide bill will die because sections of the bill are outside of the jurisdiction of Scotland's legislature.

Simon Johnson reported for the Telegraph that:

In a memo to the Scottish Parliament’s health committee, he said the Bill’s proposal that ministers specify which drugs can be used to end people’s lives related to Westminster’s powers over “medicines, medical supplies and poisons”.

The document also warned that the legislation’s plan to shift the role of medics from “protecting/enhancing patients’ lives to assisting in termination of life” could change reserved UK regulation of health professionals.

The memo argued that “further processes” would have to be gone through to bring the Bill within Holyrood’s competence.

Keir Starmer, leader of Britain's Labour Party, has been a long-time promoter of assisted suicide. During the election Starmer promised that he would introduce a bill and allow a free-vote on legalizing assisted suicide in the UK. The July 4 election resulted in the Labour Party winning a massive majority with 411 out of 650 parliamentary seats.

After the election BBC news reported that Starmer reiterated his support for assisted suicide and promised a free-vote within the year.

It is likely that Scotland will not consider an assisted suicide bill until after London (Westminster) has debated the issue.

More information on this topic:

• Scotland's deceptive euthanasia bill redefines terminal illness to include people with disabilities (Link).

Euthanasia advocates have an ideology of illogical ideas.

Meghan Schrader

By Meghan Schrader

Meghan is an autistic person who is an instructor at E4 - University of Texas (Austin) and an EPC-USA board member.

The world’s most ardent euthanasia advocates have built an ideology based on totally illogical ideas; like the premise that it’s not bigoted to kill members of a disenfranchised group because they are members of that group. Or, the idea that voluntary euthanasia is not suicide, no matter how permissive the euthanasia program is. Or the proposition that euthanizing homeless people is compassionate rather than bullying and nihilistic. 

The leaders of "Euthanasia Land" like to make up their own facts. I think that this behavior shows what can happen when a person lives their entire life in an upper middle class, able-bodied academic bubble. Such people are used to having their ideas accepted as facts, so they feel free to construct blantantly false narratives.

Perhaps one of the most egregious offenders in this regard is euthanasia advocate James Downar. He seems to like to make up his own facts the way some people like to write poetry or paint.

In August of 2024 Downar posted something on X about euthanasia opponents that is laughably nonsensical. He posted, 

“Worse from my perspective is the rash of "advocacy" groups who only seem focused on blocking MAID laws, but are largely silent on the policy issues that actually affect the health of PWDs and the chronically ill (social supports, vaccines).Curious agenda.”

The absurdity and arrogance of that statement is truly breathtaking. Yes, James Downar, all the disability justice euthanasia opponents-those of us who have published articles in the field of disability studies, those of us who have published books about disability justice, those of us we who have been arrested at demonstrations for care attendant services, those of us working as disability justice attorneys, we who are special education teachers, those of us working to advance the condition of BIPOC people with disabilities, those of us who have spoken to the United Nations about disability rights, we who are disabled and bear the daily brunt of systemic ableism-somehow have done nothing to achieve a better world for people with disabilities. But you, James Downar, an ablebodied, affluent euthanasia devotee, are a disability justice sage!

That’s a totally illogical premise, and Downar is quite bold to articulate such canards. It’s like someone looking at the sky on a clear day and saying that the sky is green. I think this behavior is probably the result of being a wealthy and powerful person: James Downar is used to other powerful people heaping praise on him; which gives him a sense of permission to make fallacious claims.

But, Downar’s propensity to espouse fabrications about the disability rights movement isn’t ethically defensible, and he isn’t actually entitled to attack disability justice advocates with lies while virtue signaling about what a fine upstanding social justice warrior he is.

Delaware will not override Governor's veto of assisted suicide bill.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Governor John Carney

I reported on September 20, 2024 that Delaware Governor John Carney vetoed Assisted Suicide Bill HB 140 (Link to the Statement by Governor Carney) after HB 140 passed in the Delaware senate, on June 25 by a vote of 11 to 10.

Amanda Fries reported on September 28 for Deleware online (in a pro-assisted suicide article) that there will not be a special session to overturn Governor Carney's veto. Fries reported.

House Speaker Valerie Longhurst said Friday that she remains supportive of House Bill 140 but decided not to call a special session because neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives has the votes necessary to override the veto.

Carney vetoed the assisted suicide bill because doesn't support assisted suicide and he didn't believe there was “firm consensus” on the issue within the medical community. Fries reported Governor Carney as stating:

"Although I understand not everyone shares my views, I am fundamentally and morally opposed to state law enabling someone, even under tragic and painful circumstances, to take their own life," he wrote. "As I have shared consistently, I am simply not comfortable letting this piece of legislation become law."

If you have not yet done so, Thank Governor Carney by contacting him at: 302-744-4101 or email him at: john.carney@delaware.gov

You can also contact him at his Wilmington Office at: 302-577-3210

Previous articles:

• Fabulous news: Delaware Governor Carney vetoes assisted suicide bill (Link).
• Delaware Governor Carney needs to veto assisted suicide Bill HB 140 to protect citizens in need of real care (Link).
• Delaware Governor John Carney needs to veto assisted suicide Bill HB 140 (Link)

The Sarco suicide pod method constitutes torture.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Sarco Suicide Pod is sold to the public as an easy and pain free death. The Sarco is also designed in a sleek manner to make it seem fashionable to die in this manner. But how does death by Nitrogen gas actually work?

The Sarco kills a person by releasing nitrogen gas into the pod causing the person to die of asphyxiation. The Guardian reported Nitscke, the inventor of the suicide pod, describing the first death in the Sarco suicide pod in this way:

He (Nitschke) said he thought she had lost consciousness “within two minutes” and had died after five minutes. “We saw jerky, small twitches of the muscles in her arms, but she was probably already unconscious by then. It looked exactly how we expected it to look,”

Ed Pilkington reported for The Guardian on September 27 concerning the recent capital punishment death of Alan Miller, the second person in Alabama to die by using Nitrogen gas. Pilkington reported:

Miller shook and trembled on the gurney for about two minutes with his body at times pulling against the restraints, followed by about six minutes of gasping, according to the Associated Press.

The lethal method involves being strapped down with a respirator mask applied to the face and pure nitrogen piped in. The resulting oxygen deprivation will cause death by asphyxia.

Pilkington also reported on the death of Kenneth Smith, who was the first one in Alabama to die by capital punishment using the Nitrogen method:

The first nitrogen execution was carried out, also by Alabama, in January.

“Smith began to shake and writhe violently, in thrashing spasms and seizure-like movements … The force of his movements caused the gurney to visibly move at least once. Smith’s arms pulled against the straps holding him to the gurney. He lifted his head off the gurney and then fell back.”

Even though Nitschke describes the death in a positive manner, the discription of the deaths seem similar with the only real difference being that the woman who died in the suicide pod was seeking death.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) , who support assisted suicide, described the death of Kenneth Smith as a:

method constitutes torture, violating international human rights treaties ratified by the U.S.

The ACLU then stated:

Veterinary scientists, who have carried out laboratory studies on animals, have even largely ruled nitrogen gas out as a euthanasia method due to ethical concerns. Authorities in the U.S. and Europe have issued guidelines discouraging its use for most mammals, citing potential distress, panic, and seizure-like behavior.

Death by Nitrogen gas is not acceptable for animals and is defined as a method that constitutes torture and yet Nitschke described the death as looking exactly as expected.

Sarco inventor promises to bring suicide pod to Scotland, if assisted suicide is legalized.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Philip Nitschke/Sarco

Elena Salvoni reported on September 25 for The Guardian that Philip Nitschke, the Australian euthanasia advocate behind the suicide capsule, has reportedly been in touch with MSP Liam McArthur, who is seeking to legalise assisted dying in Scotland, to bring his suicide capsule to Scotland. Salvoni reported:

Dr Nitschke wrote to the Liberal Democrat MSP urging him to introduce the device should the legislation pass, The Telegraph reports.

The Scottish Lib Dems said in a statement that Mr McArthur 'is not supportive of Dr Nitschke's proposals', adding that he did not respond to him.

Swiss police recently made arrests related to the first Sarco suicide death.

The Last Resort organization stated that they want Sarco to become an established option for euthanasia. Salvoni reported:

Fiona Stewart, who is married to Nitschke and is a board member and advisor at The Last Resort, said they want Sarco to become an established and accessible option for euthanasia.

Speaking to MailOnline earlier this month, she said: 'Our hope would be to make it available to suitable people on a regular basis.'

If Scotland legalizes assisted suicide, Nitschke will attempt to bring Sarco to Scotland. Nitschke makes his living promoting and selling suicide books, information and devices.

Medical journal pushes conjoining euthanasia and organ harvesting.

This article was published by National Review online on September 26, 2024.

By Wesley J Smith

Back in 1993, my first anti-euthanasia piece, published in Newsweek, warned that if we legalized assisted suicide, organ harvesting would eventually be included as a “plum to society.” “Alarmist!” my hate mail screeched. “Slippery slope fallacy!” etc. Even those who agreed with my overall critique assured me it would never come to pass.

And yet it did. Conjoining organ harvesting with euthanasia is now deemed so respectable it is even boosted at the highest levels of the medical establishment.

JAMA Surgery just assured us that kidneys harvested from patients killed in hospitals — as happens in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Canada — work better and sooner. And remember, many of these killed donors were not terminally ill. “Kidney Transplant Outcomes Following Donation After Euthanasia” concludes that organ donation after euthanasia “is a safe and valuable way to increase the kidney donor pool.”

In other words, harvesting the organs of people killed by doctors could be a “plum to society.”

What next? Organ harvesting as the means of euthanasia — which will produce even better organs? Is that hysteria? A slippery-slope fallacy? Perhaps, but it has already been proposed in a major bioethics journal.

Meanwhile, there are repeated calls to allow people to sell one of their kidneys and/or sell their organs after death. Well, if we ever allow that, why would it not also be okay to be paid to be killed and “donate”?

This much is clear: We are far down the road of objectifying the bodies of suicidal people to permit unethical acts.

Disability groups legally challenge Canada's euthanasia law.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Press Conference

On September 26, 2024 a coalition of disability rights organizations and two personally affected individuals filed a Charter challenge with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. The Court Challenge opposes Track 2 of Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) law, which provides euthanasia to people with a disability who are not dying, or whose death is not “reasonably foreseeable.” 

The coalition includes national disability organizations Inclusion Canada, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), Indigenous Disability Canada (IDC/BCANDS), and DAWN Canada, as well as two individuals who have been harmed by Track 2 MAiD. 

Krista Carr, Executive Vice-President of Inclusion Canada said.

"People are dying. We are witnessing an alarming trend where people with disabilities are seeking assisted suicide due to social deprivation, poverty, and lack of essential supports,"

"This law also sends a devastating message that life with a disability is a fate worse than death, undermining decades of work toward equity and inclusion. It’s time to put an end to helping people with disabilities commit suicide and start supporting them to live."

Heather Walkus, National Chairperson of the CCD said:

"This challenge is about protecting the equality and human rights of all people with disabilities in Canada,"

"Instead of providing the support and resources we need to live, our government is offering death. It's unacceptable, and we won't stand for it."

Neil Belanger, CEO of IDC/BCANDS said:

“Indigenous Peoples and communities across Canada face higher rates of disability, poverty, and isolation while continuing to battle significant barriers when attempting to access disability and health services and supports necessary for their well-being,” 

 “Understanding this, this law is not just discriminatory; it reinforces the ongoing marginalization of Indigenous Peoples with disabilities."

Bonnie Brayton, CEO of DAWN Canada said:

“Women and gender-diverse people with disabilities experience the highest rates of gender-based violence and poverty and we do not have access to health care, as the heartbreaking stories of the two individual plaintiffs in this case demonstrate. We want access to housing, to health care and to be free of violence and instead, we are accessing MAID at the highest rates. This law is a betrayal of our most fundamental rights”

 The organizations assert that Track 2 MAiD has resulted in premature deaths and an increase in discrimination and stigma towards people with disabilities across the country. While they are not challenging MAiD Track 1 cases, they recognize that these cases pose significant problems for people with disabilities. Track 2 MAiD has had a direct negative impact on the lives of people with disabilities.

The coalition is petitioning the court to strike down Track 2 approvals in Canada's MAiD law, arguing that providing assisted death solely on the basis of disability is unconstitutional.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will seek to intervene in this case.

EPC is also seeking to intervene in the Dying With Dignity case designed to force the federal government to permit euthanasia for mental illness alone and the other Dying With Dignity case that intends to force all hospitals, including religiously affiliated hospitals, to provide euthanasia.