German Medical Association opposes euthanasia

By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The German Medical Association recently decided to oppose euthanasia, to forbid euthanasia organizations and to urge the government to make the commercialization of suicide a crime.

The German Medical Association clearly decided at its 115th annual convention to reject euthanasia while opposing the suicide program in Switzerland.

This statement was overshadowed by another important statement - the apology for the crimes that German physicians carried out during World War II on Jewish people, people with disabilities, and others which included the crime of euthanasia.

A similar statement was recently made by Dr. Iona Heath, the President of the Royal College of General Practitioners in the UK who wrote a letter opposing the legalization of euthanasia, that was published in the British Medical Journal.

The practise of euthanasia in the Netherlands and Belgium indicates that society is not willing to learn from history.

The Netherlands has approved eugenic euthanasia for newborns with disabilities (Groningen Protocol) and euthanasia for people with chronic mental illness and depression.

Belgium is allowing euthanasia without request or consent, euthanasia by organ donation and it is pushing for the greater acceptance of euthanasia for people with dementia/Alzheimers

We need to remember our history and reject the concept euthanasia, an act whereby one person directly and intentionally kills another person, for "compassionate reasons."

You simply cannot protect people from those who will abuse the power over life and death.