True Dignity Vermont establishes watchdog hotline to protect Vermont citizens from assisted suicide.

Watchdog Group Launches Hotline

True Dignity Vermont has launched an abuse hotline in response to the recently-passed bill that will allow Vermont physicians to prescribe lethal drugs  to terminally ill patients.

Individuals who suspect patients of being unduly influenced to request or ingest lethal drugs, or of being given such drugs against their will, can report such concerns by calling: 1-855-787-5455 (1-855-STP-KILL) or emailing True Dignity Vermont at: ReportAbuse@TrueDignityVt.org.

A citizen-led, grassroots initiative, True Dignity Vermont worked alongside other organizations to vigorously oppose the legalization of prescription death in Vermont. That effort failed with the passage of an amended bill on May 13, but leaders say they will press forward to work to protect vulnerable Vermonters who will be at risk as a result of what they call “dangerous, poorly conceived legislation.”

“We believe our role must now expand to that of watchdog, as well as providing education and a resource clearinghouse for Vermonters who want to be sure they will be protected from coercion to end their lives,” according to True Dignity spokesperson Carolyn McMurray of Bennington. 

“The bill that Governor Shumlin is signing into law is fraught with problems that will leave vulnerable patients open to abuse, and will damage patient-doctor trust,” she said,  adding that True Dignity Vermont plans to develop a registry of “safe” doctors, nursing homes and other health care providers who will not participate in assisted suicide. 

“Vermonters need to be reassured that the end of life need not be frightening and painful, and that they will be supported properly with the very best palliative care and pain control. Enabling suicide is not a compassionate response to suffering.”

More information about True Dignity Vermont is available at http://truedignityvt.org/

1700 March in Quebec City against euthanasia

The following article was edited from its original version that was published by LifeSiteNews on May 20, 2013.

By Georges Buscemi

Nearly 2000 people converged on the Quebec Capital on a brilliant spring Saturday afternoon to March against a government plan to legalise euthanasia in the province. Called the “Springtime March”, the event attracted euthanasia opponents from all corners of the province to protest the Parti québécois government’s proposal to allow “medical aid in dying” –the direct and intentional killing of a patient—under certain conditions. Junior minister Veronique Hivon indicated at the beginning of the year that she would table a bill legalizing the deadly practise before the province’s parliament adjourned for the summer.

The March participants assembled on the historic Plains of Abraham, where they heard speeches delivered by a vast array of Quebec euthanasia opponents including Amy Hasbrook of Not Dead Yet, an organisation defending the rights of disabled people, and Dr. Patrick Vinay, former dean of medicine at the University of Montreal and palliative care expert. Also present were Dr. Catherine Ferrier representing Physicians Alliance for Total Refusal of Euthanasia, Linda Couture of the Living with Dignity Network and Louis-André Richard, a philosophy professor, bioethics expert and spokesperson for the Quebec Rally against Euthanasia.

Hugh Scher

The Marchers then processed through Quebec City via the Grande Allée chanting slogans such as “killing is not care” and arrived before the Quebec National Assembly where speakers once again rallied the crowd. The crowd seemed especially appreciative of a speech by Hugh Scher of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, who affirmed that “dangerous lessons” ought to be learned from the legalisation of euthanasia in Holland and Belgium and that “each of us is at risk” when life becomes devalued.

Organised by the Quebec Rally Against Euthanasia – an ad hoc group headed by Dr. Claude Morin, an emergency-room doctor in Quebec City – the March was firmly backed by the province’s Catholic bishops.

At the close of the event Dr. Claude Morin stated that he hoped that the day’s message would make it to the ears of the PQ government, but that in the event that the bill would nonetheless be tabled, he invited the assembled crowd to return for a second protest.

Assisted Suicide bill in the UK would change 2400 years of medical history.

By Dr Peter Saunders, Campaign Director, Care Not Killing Alliance.

Dr Peter Saunders

Link to the original article.

Lord Falconer, who has just introduced his ‘Assisted Dying Bill’ into parliament this week, is seeking to change 2,400 years of history.

His bill would make it legal for doctors to help mentally competent adults with less than six months to live to kill themselves. Two doctors would need to agree that a patient met the criteria and the option would not be open to minors, people without mental capacity or those who are not terminally ill.

The final step would involve a doctor (or nurse) hand-delivering lethal drugs to the patient at a time and place of their choosing and staying with them while they took the drugs and until they were dead.

Falconer has some supporters within the medical profession.

Twelve retired senior doctors have today send a letter to the Times (£) backing his bill. And in the last few years a new organisation, Health Professionals for Assisted Dying (HPAD), has set itself up under the auspices of the Dignity in Dying (formerly the Voluntary Euthanasia Society).

But as an article in the Times (£) accompanying the above letter notes, the British Medical Association and almost all Royal Colleges are opposed to a change in the law. In fact about two thirds of doctors are opposed.

Interestingly, the Times newspaper, is in agreement with them.

In its editorial (£) today it says it would be ‘wrong to legislate’ and that ‘the law that Lord Falconer now wants is a step too far’.

The current blanket prohibition on assisted suicide keeps the numbers low, as evidenced by the very low numbers of people travelling to Dignitas facility in Switzerland to kill themselves.

Furthermore the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) already has discretion not to prosecute in hard cases and the authority to temper justice with mercy. But he is particularly tough on doctors, because of the power they have, as recognised by Hippocrates.

‘There is a danger’, argues the Times, ‘that a codified law that attempted to replace such difficult and nuanced judgments with statute would produce two problems.’ 

‘The first is a large increase in assisted suicides as it becomes more legally straightforward. This is the reason why many lobbyists for the disabled oppose the Bill, concerned that people will be put under pressure to end their lives.’ 

‘The second danger is, oddly, an increase in prosecutions for assisting suicide, as the discretion of the old system is replaced by a more formulaic approach. This may be the reason why doctors are, in general, against a new law. And why they are right to be.’

It is significant that the Times, which backed a change in the law at the time of Falconer’s last attempt to alter it in 2009 has now changed its position.

But it has done so on the basis of good evidence.

Jurisdictions which have legalised either assisted suicide or euthanasia, have seen a steady increase in case over subsequent years and the widening of criteria to include categories of people for whom it was never intended.

This pattern of incremental extension is seen in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Oregon and Belgium and extension beyond mentally competent adults has been clearly seen in both the Netherlands and Belgium.

Our current UK law is clear and right and does not need changing. The penalties it holds in reserve act as a powerful disincentive to exploitation and abuse, whilst giving both prosecutors and judges discretion to temper justice with mercy in had cases.

It may not be perfect, but we tamper with it at our peril.

And Hippocrates was right about doctors too. They are too powerful and too human to be given the power and authority to kill.

Remarks of Hugh Scher on behalf of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition at the Quebec Springtime March against Euthanasia

Remarks of Hugh Scher on behalf of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition at the Quebec Springtime March against Euthanasia - May 18, 2013

Hugh Scher

I bring best wishes and strong support from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of Canada, EPC -International and EPC- Europe.

We understand the difficult problems that arise from the issue of legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide especially in Quebec at this time.

Our goal today is to express a clear and united message and to put the public, the media and politicians on notice here in Quebec, throughout Canada and around the world with respect to the dangers of euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Our message is common to doctors, seniors and people with disabilities, the groups most vulnerable and directly affected by the proposed changes here in Quebec.

The proposals under consideration put each of us at risk especially those who are made vulnerable because of a society that views our lives in a devalued way or as having little or no value.

We have seen and learned from the dangerous lessons that have come out of the experiences in Holland and Belgium with respect to legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide. These lessons teach us that euthanasia and assisted suicide represent a serious threat to the citizens of Quebec and of Canada.

We are aware that there are safeguards in place for the purpose of protecting people in Holland and in Belgium. However these safeguards do not work and put people at risk as a consequence of a culture that views euthanasia as acceptable. This is especially true for those most vulnerable in society.

We understand the problem when 47% of people are killed by euthanasia in Belgium without having those deaths properly reported despite the legal requirement to do so.

We also understand the serious problem that exists when 32% of people who are killed by way of euthanasia or assisted suicide are killed without request. People with disabilities and seniors remain the most vulnerable.

In spite of the existence of safeguards in place to protect people from abuse, these are often ignored.

Consequently, the lives of innocent people, who are deprived of choice and autonomy, are too easily lost without consent. Sadly, the protections that exist at this time are not rigorously applied creating a perilous situation.

It would be extremely dangerous if these same biases and abuses are allowed to happen here in Quebec in the event that the law is changed.

We must work as hard as possible in order to defeat these certain dangers by rejecting euthanasia or assisted suicide in Quebec and throughout Canada.

This threat and these risks require us to rise up and to express a message grave and clear to all, that euthanasia and assisted suicide should never be permitted here in Quebec or in Canada.

Let’s work together to fight against these proposed changes that put all of us at risk and that represent a grave and dangerous threat to our society and most certainly to our most vulnerable citizens.

Thank you all for your efforts and for your presence here today on this historic occasion.

Thank you very much.

First large-scale mobilisation against euthanasia in Quebec

The Springtime March against euthanasia - Saturday, May 18.

QUEBEC CITY, May 17, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ 

The Quebec Rally Against Euthanasia (QRAE) has revealed the details of what is turning out to be the largest mobilization against euthanasia since the Quebec government announced that it was planning to table legislation on « medical aid in dying ». Doctors, lawyers, handicapped persons, citizens from all corners of Quebec will take part in the family-friendly atmosphere of the Springtime March this Saturday May 18, in the provincial capital.

Dr. Claude Morin, head organiser of the March and emergency-room doctor, Dr. Marc Bergeron, hemato-oncologist, Louis-André Richard, philosophy professor, as well as Amy Hasbrouck from Toujour Vivant-Not Dead Yet, present this "citizens' initiative which is open to every person who is conscious of the danger which euthanasia poses to Quebec society." With the theme "Euthanasia, in our province? No thanks!" the crowds will gather at noon on Saturday, May 18. The day will begin with speeches on the Plains of Abraham, across from the Musée national des beaux-arts of Quebec. The March itself will get started at 1:45 pm and will head to the Parliament via the Grande-Allée. Speeches will be delivered throughout the day, which will end at around 4:30 pm in front of of the Parliament. The spokespersons for the QRAE invite the population to attend so that "every effort is taken so that the security, dignity and comfort of suffering persons at the end of life be assured by quality and universally accessible palliative care." "Euthanasia eliminates the patient, not the pain. We don't want it!" they affirm.

Dr. Patrick Vinay, head of a palliative care unit and interim president of the Living with Dignity network, and Dr. Catherine Ferrier, member of the Physicians' Alliance for Total Refusal of Euthanasia, both from Montreal, as well as Alex Schadenberg, the executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, extend to the organisers of the Springtime March the support of their respective organisations. They also confirm their presence at Saturday's March on May 18. Dr. Vinay observes that "Killing is not health care; it's the instant cessation of all care. We must instead care, relieve, help and appease all suffering." "We need a big turnout this Saturday May 18, to show clearly to our elected officials that there is no consensus in Quebec in favour of of "medical aid in dying" he added along with Dr. Catherine Ferrier.

For more information on the Springtime March, consult the website at: http://www.EuthanasiaNoThanks.org or follow the Quebec Rally Against Euthanasia on Twitter, Facebook and Storify.

SOURCE: Rassemblement québécois contre l'euthanasie

For further information:

Marie-Josée Lavoie
418-953-4981
euthanasienonmerci@gmail.com

Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet highlights link between euthanasia and discrimination

MONTREAL, May 16, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ 

Toujours Vivant - Not Dead Yet will join Québécers who oppose euthanasia on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at noon on the Plains of Abraham.

TVNDY is a progressive, non-religious project to unite and give voice to the disability opposition to euthanasia, assisted suicide, and other discriminatory end-of-life practices.

According to Hasbrouck, Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet will highlight several points

• People with disabilities are the population most directly affected by assisted suicide and euthanasia.
• Disability discrimination is a major factor behind the push for such laws, and the causes of suicidal feelings among people with disabilities.
• Such laws create a double standard, where non-disabled people who express suicidal feelings are given services to prevent a suicide, while people with disabilities with similar feelings are allowed, even helped to kill themselves.
• Financial and social pressures, including abuse, can drive elders and people with disabilities to suicide.
• Québecers have rejected capital punishment because of the possibility that even one person might be wrongfully convicted and killed.
• Lack of access to palliative care and home-based personal care services controlled by the individual can drive people toward suicide. People with disabilities should not be sacrificed to poor policy choices.
• People already have the right to refuse treatment, make advance directives and appoint a substitute decision maker.
• Until people with disabilities enjoy full safety and equality in all facets of community life, no amount of safeguards can prevent misapplication of euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The event is co-sponsored by Vivre dans la dignité, the Rassemblement Québecois contre l'euthanasie, Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet and the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

SOURCE: Toujours Vivant - Not Dead Yet

For further information: Amy E. Hasbrouck (450-921-3057)

Avis de presse - Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet souligne le lien entre 

l'euthanasie et la discrimination basé sur le handicap

MONTRÉAL, le 16 mai 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - 

Toujours Vivant - Not Dead Yet se joindra avec des Québécois qui s'opposent à l'euthanasie le samedi, 18 mai 2013 à midi sur les plaines d'Abraham pour dire «l'euthanasie, non merci!»

TVNDY est un organisme progressiste et non religieux des personnes ayant des incapacités qui s'opposent à l'euthanasie, au suicide assisté, et aux autres pratiques discriminatoires de la fin de vie.

Amy Hasbrouck, la directrice générale, dit que TVNDY va souligner plusieurs points.

• Les personnes handicapées sont la population le plus touchée par le suicide assisté et l'euthanasie.
• La discrimination contre les personnes handicapées est un élément important derrière la pression en faveur des telles lois, et contribue aux sentiments suicidaires parmi des personnes avec des incapacités.
• De telles lois font deux poids deux mesures où des personnes non handicapées qui sont suicidaires reçoivent des services pour prévenir un suicide, pendant que des personnes avec déficiences qui expriment des sentiments suicidaires sont permises, même aidé, à se tuer.
• La pression sociale et financière, y compris l'abus, peut mener des ainés et des personnes avec déficiences au suicide.
• Les Québécois ont rejeté la peine de mort, de peur qu'une personne puisse être condamnée à tort et exécutée.
• Le manque d'accès aux soins palliatifs et des préposées embauchées par l'individu peut conduit une personne ver le suicide.  Des personnes avec déficiences ne devraient pas être sacrifiées aux mauvais choix politiques.
• Tout le monde à déjà le choix de refuser du traitement, faire une directive médicale préalable, et de désigner un proche pour prendre des décisions de soins de santé en cas d'incompétence.
• En attendant que des personnes ayant des incapacités jouissent, une égalité et sécurité complète, dans tous les aspects de la vie communautaire, aucune balise ne peut prévenir une mauvaise application de l'euthanasie.

L'événement est parrainé par Vivre dans la dignité, le Rassemblement québécois contre l'euthanasie, Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet, et Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

SOURCE: Toujours Vivant - Not Dead Yet

Renseignements: Amy Hasbrouck - 450-921-3057, Christian Debray - 450-370-8195

Assisted suicide charge in Hinton Alberta

The Edmonton Sun reported that someone has been charged with aiding a suicide in Hinton Alberta. We only have the news reports and cannot comment on what occurred.

The article in the Edmonton Sun stated:

Hinton Healthcare Centre

The mysterious death outside the Hinton hospital is being probed as an assisted suicide, said Hinton RCMP.

Mounties were called to the Hinton Healthcare Centre May 10 early last Friday morning.

They located a dead body in a vehicle parked in front of the building. A second person was admitted to the hospital with “non-life-threatening injuries.”

The local detachment called in the Edmonton RCMP Major Crimes Unit to investigate.

The unit is called in as a matter of policy when there is a suspected crime involving an unknown cause of death or “unusual circumstances,” said RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Patricia Neely, RCMP.

That second person was charged Wednesday with aiding or abetting a suicide.

But police are refusing to release further details about the case.

A publication ban on the identity of the accused and the deceased was issued the same day. Age and sex of either person are being withheld.

“It’s not standard procedure but...(the publication ban) was requested and granted by the judge,” Neely said adding it’s due to the sensitivity typical to reporting on suicides and can protect the privacy of connected families.

The accused is the one who alerted people at the healthcare centre to the situation, Neely said.

But the sergeant would not comment on details of the case, such as how the deceased died or the extent of injury to the accused.

“Unfortunately we can’t get into (medical]) status beyond saying that it was non-life-threatening — or in stable condition — because of privacy issues,” said Neely.

“The investigation that our Major Crimes Unit conducted determined that the most applicable charge was aiding suicide, based on the information and evidence that they had.”

The accused is scheduled to appear in Hinton provincial court June 5.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition offers condolences to the friends and family of the woman who died.

Trisomy 18 is not a death sentence. The story of Lilliana Dennis - updated.

May 29, 2012, I wrote an article about Lilliana Dennis, a child who has a genetic anomaly known as Trisomy 18 or Edwards syndrome. 

Most children with Trisomy 18 are screened in the womb and not born, and if they are born, they are often denied medical treatment under an ideology that defines them as "incompatible with life."

Last year, Barb Farlow sent me the story of Lilliana Dennis that included a Youtube video of Lilliana's first birthday.

The story and the youtube video that moved me to write the article: Trisomy 18 is not a death sentence: The story of Lilliana Dennis.

The article received a huge response with many websites and blogs republishing the article. 

Brad Mattes who hosts the program Facing Life Head-ON read the article and contacted the Dennis family asking them if he could feature Lilliana in an upcoming episode of his show. Episode 11 titled: Hope for Lilliana told the amazing story of Lilliana through interviews and pictures.


Over the past year I have received weekly updates from the Dennis family and recently I noticed that Lilliana received hearing aides. 

The recent update included a 3 minute youtube video showing Lilliana reacting as she notices that she can clearly hear.

Lilliana at Easter Party

This update also featured the work of the Jackson Center. The Dennis family stated:

"we are asking for your help to raise money through Walking for Dreams. This is an annual family and pet walk that benefits both the Jackson Center and our family. The money raised by our team will split on a percentage basis with a portion being credited directly toward Lilliana's tuition and the remainder being used to help defray Jackson Center operating expenses. Conductive education is a program that helps children and adults with motor disorders develop motor skills through repetition, peer interaction and positive reinforcement. The goal of conductive education is to help each participant achieve the highest quality of independent life. The Jackson Center is the only conductive education program in Indiana. To learn more about the Jackson Center visit the Jackson Center. Since Lilliana began attending the Jackson Center, she has increased her overall core strength and developed her hand-eye coordination. And too date, she eats oral food the best while at the Jackson Center. We are interested in doing everything we can to ensure that conductive education is available in central Indiana and have set a goal to raise $3,500 for Lilliana and the Jackson Center through Walking for Dreams. If you are willing to help, you can make a donation on-line by visiting www.walkingfordreams.org."

Lilliana at a restaurant

My primary concern is how euthanasia changes the societal attitude toward people with disabilities, especially children like Lilliana who were defined as "incompatible with life." 

In the Netherlands, where euthanasia is legal, children like Lilliana are euthanized at birth under the terms of the Groningen Protocol.

In most of the Western world, children like Lilliana are simply not given a chance to live based on the attitudes that either view the lives of Trisomy 18 children as not worth living or too expensive to care for.

When viewing the story of Lilliana Dennis we recognize that life comes in many different shapes, sizes and health conditions. That everyone deserves a chance at life.

Society needs to learn that Trisomy 18 is not a death sentence.

Video's of Lilliana:
* Lilliana turns 2. May 17, 2013.
* Lilliana hears for the first time. May 7, 2013.
* Trisomy 13 and 18 March Awareness.
* Lilliana talking, smiling and twirling, 20 months old.
* Facing Life Head-on: Season six, episode 11: Hope for Lilliana.

Top blog articles on euthanasia and assisted suicide published over the past 5 years.

This blog has now been online for more than 5 years.

When I started the blog I had no idea of the impact or importance that this blog would have and I did not know how to maintain and operate a blog. 

This blog should be the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition blog, but since it began as an experiment it was named after myself. 

The first blog article published was: The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition response to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba Statement on Withholding and Withdrawing Life-Sustaining Treatment (March 18, 2008). This blog article received a significant number of hits which confirmed that we should continue.

At first we did not publish regular comments/articles. 

Barbara Wagner

On June 8, 2008 we published a blog article concerning the story of Barbara Wagner in Oregon that received an incredible number of hits. The article was titled: Woman in Oregon offered assisted suicide instead of medical treatment.

On October 8, 2008 we published the article titled: Depression and Physician-assisted suicide analyzing the study by Linda Ganzini concerning the "supposed safeguard" designed to protect depressed people in Oregon from assisted suicide. This article brought the blog to a new level of reader response.

Many of the blog articles have received significant national and international attention. The following is a list of the top 10 articles published on this blog since its inception in order of the number of hits.

1. Physician-Assisted Suicide: A Recipe for Elder Abuse and the Illusion of Personal Choice that is written by attorney Margaret Dore February 17, 2011.

2. Euthanasia is out-of-control in the Netherlands September 25, 2012.

3. Belgium euthanasia study finds that nearly half of all euthanasia deaths are unreported December 4, 2011.

4. Nitschke continues to promote Nembutal sales over the internet June 22, 2010.

5. Declaration of Hope January 17, 2013.

6. Suicide/Asphyxiation Exit Kit company raided by FBI May 26, 2011.

7. Euthanasia Poll: What do the people of Quebec really want November 22, 2010.

8. Bill to outlaw euthanasia by dehydration passed by Italy’s lower house July 13, 2011.

9. Oregon Suicide rate soars after legalizing assisted suicide September 12, 2010. 

10. Dr Phil show features woman who wants to euthanize her adult children with disabilities April 16, 2012.

This list is in the order of most hits. Some of the more recent articles that are not posted here because they are still being regularly read but have not reached this level yet are:

1. Responding to the disturbing decision by Justice Smith in the Carter case June 20, 2012.

2. Trisomy 18 is not a Death Sentence. The story of Lilliana Dennis May 29, 2012.

3. Belgian twins euthanized out of fear of Blindness January 14, 2013.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is having significant success distributing the book Exposing Vulnerable People to Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide written by myself. Exposing Vulnerable People uncovers the data proving that the unreported euthanasia deaths and the abuse of the euthanasia laws in Belgium and the Netherlands, such not only occurs but represents a documented threat to vulnerable patients.  

Order Exposing Vulnerable People for $20.00 at: Exposing Vulnerable People to Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Link.

Thank you to the many people who regularly read the blog and provided feedback. I hope that this blog will continue to provide the information that people need to protect people from euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada and world-wide.

Alex Schadenberg

Executive Director & International Chair

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Contact us at: info@epcc.ca

The Groningen protocol for euthanasia of disabled babies in the Netherlands.

Peter Saunders

This article was written by Dr Peter Saunders, the campaign director for the Care Not Killing Alliance in the UK and published on his blog. 

By Dr Peter Saunders - May 13, 2013

In an interview this morning on BBC Five Live (at 0705) on the Paul Lamb case I was asked by the presenter Nicky Campbell about evidence for a slippery slope following the legalisation of euthanasia in other jurisdictions.

In my answer I mentioned the steady escalation in numbers of cases in Belgium and the Netherlands (see here and here) and said that one third of nurses had carried out euthanasia illegally in Belgium and that one third of cases in some parts of Belgium had been involuntary although the law did not allow this.

I also mentioned the ‘Groningen Protocol’ under which disabled babies had been given lethal injections in the Netherlands.

Campbell appeared not to know about this and asked me on air to email him information about it to which I agreed. Another BBC journalist phoned me after the interview to check my sources.

I sent her a link to the original paper on the ‘Groningen Protocol’ from the New England Medical Journal in 2005.

The full reference is: ‘Verhagen E, Sauer P. "The Groningen Protocol—Euthenasia in Severely Ill Newborns." New England Journal of Medicine 2005; 352(10):959-62’

It says that ‘Twenty-two cases of euthanasia in newborns have been reported to district attorneys' offices in the Netherlands during the past seven years’ but also highlights under reporting:

‘Given that the national survey indicated that such procedures are performed in 15 to 20 newborns per year, the fact that an average of three cases were reported annually suggests that most cases are simply not being reported.’

The 22 babies killed all had spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus – conditions which many disabled people live with in Britain today (Here is another report on the protocol from CBHD citing the 22 documented cases).

Under the ‘Groningen Protocol’ the termination of a child's life (under age 12) is acceptable if four requirements were properly fulfilled:

1. The presence of hopeless and unbearable suffering
2. The consent of the parents to termination of life
3. Medical consultation having taken place
4. Careful execution of the termination

A more recent report suggests there has been a reduction in cases of direct newborn euthanasia in the Netherlands since 2005 because of: 1. More efficient prenatal detection and late abortion 2. More use of ‘terminal sedation’ not recorded officially as euthanasia 3. Continued underreporting

Other issues I mentioned to the BBC in my email included:

1. Almost half of Belgium’s euthanasia nurses have admitted to killing without consent, despite the fact that involuntary euthanasia is illegal in Belgium and that nurses are not allowed to perform even voluntary euthanasia. 

2.  In Belgium, nearly half of all cases of euthanasia are not reported to the Federal Control and Evaluation Committee. Legal requirements were more frequently not met in unreported cases than in reported cases and a written request for euthanasia was absent in 88%.

3. A recent study found that in the Flemish part of Belgium, 66 of 208 cases of ‘euthanasia’ (32%) occurred in the absence of request or consent.

4. According to a recent report Belgium is now the ‘world leader’ in organ removal after euthanasia with at least nine cases since 2005 but suggestions are that there would have been many more had more euthanasia patients had transplantable organs.

5. Summary of recent developments in Netherlands documenting a 15-20% increase in euthanasia cases per year since 2006 (gives good overview of overall situation).

6. The latest Lancet paper on the subject giving 12.3% as the figure for terminal sedation deaths in the Netherlands and summarising other past papers in NEJM/Lancet

I gather that Nicky Campbell has since agreed on twitter with my opponent in the interview (Andrew Copson of the British Humanist Association) that I was ‘a past master in extreme and irrelevant claims’ (I'd be interested to hear his evidence for that btw) but at least he will be able to verify the truth of my claims about euthanasia in Belgium and the Netherlands from the links given above.