Forced Euthanasia cases in the Netherlands

06.09.2022

According to Medical Contact in the Netherlands and Lifenews, the Dutch Minister of Health, Hugo de Jonge, spoke out against forced euthanasia. The Netherlands was one of the first countries to legalise this practice, but there have been many stories arising which claim elderly people are being forcefully killed in cases where they have a change of heart. 

Medical Contact (Medish contact) stated that the Minister was speaking in response to the case of a woman who was killed despite her trying to resist her life being taken by the doctor. 

The story in question was publicised by Alex Scadenburg of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. The story can be viewed here. 

In a translation from Dutch article,

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, with which he responds to the current discussion about euthanasia in case of incapacity....

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 there are 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’.

Minister de Jonge refrained from talking on the specifics of the case because it is the subject of a disciplinary case in which the geriatric specialist has appealed.

Starting a discussion on forced Euthanasia is crucial as there is far too much silence surrounding hundreds of studies showing assisted deaths without consent as you can read about here

While moves are being made to try to introduce Euthanasia in Ireland, it is important to investigate the abuses that occur where it is legal in the Netherlands.