DutchNews, January 5,
2016
Dutch doctors must retain the
right to refuse to help their patients to die, the doctors’ federation KNMG has
told the NRC.
While most doctors back euthanasia, or assisted dying, they
should never be compelled to cooperate, Rutger Jan van der Gaag is quoted as
saying. Euthanasia should not be something that can be forced on doctors, he
said.
The Dutch voluntary euthanasia society last year relaunched its campaign
to have a pill made available to elderly people who wish to end their lives.
Ethical grounds
The idea for such a pill was first launched at the beginning of
the 1990s by senior judge and euthanasia campaigner Huib Drion and became known
as ‘Drion’s pill’. He said the pill should be issued free of charge to everyone
over the age of 70 but his initiative floundered on medical, ethical and legal
grounds.
Now the NVVE is having a new attempt and this time says the pills
should only be issued by pharmacists or family doctors. ‘This is important to
make sure the drugs cannot be used for suicide, abuse or murder,’ the
organisation said.
Euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands under strict
conditions. For example, the patient must be suffering unbearable pain and the
doctor must be convinced the patient is making an informed choice. The opinion
of a second doctor is also required.
‘The doctor is currently an important
safety catch who makes sure that reasonable alternatives [to euthanasia] are
not ignored and that the drugs are not misused,’ Van der Gaag told the NRC.
No comments:
Post a Comment