Excerpt:
The doctor who performed the Netherlands’ first case of euthanasia on a child under 12 did so with due care, the supervising committee concluded after investigating. The patient, a child of nearly 2 years who suffered from several severe medical conditions, died at the end of 2025.
They suffered over 2 years of trauma trying to find a way for their child to live. The most humane way forward for everyone involved was to end the child’s suffering. I’m glad they had the option.
Yeah, this particular case is nothing to worry about. It was handled well. The real issue is that we’ve seen medical aid in dying be expanded very broadly in some countries. We’ve seen it expand into mental health issues. The real risk is that parents will start seeking assisted suicide for their children with Downs Syndrome or other developmental disabilities.
Then let’s talk about that if we see any signs of that happening.
From what I see, the Netherlands are not at any risk where you’d need to worry about it.
https://epaper.nationalpost.com/article/281483576985644
Canada has a big problem where some medical providers are essentially offering noting but medically assisted dying to some disabled patients who could do just fine with some funding for accessibility
Ok lets talk about it: https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/16/dutch-woman-euthanasia-approval-grounds-of-mental-suffering
29 years old, depression
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-netherlands-euthanasia-idINKCN12C2JL/
Proposal that didn’t get trough: pensioneers who feel their life is complete
Sorry, but this is assisted suicide and not what I meant. Here the persons decide for themselves that they don’t want to live anymore. It is not very much different than them jumping off a cliff.
The OP here is about parents deciding for their newborn suffering child which is not able to decide for themselves.
Don’t bring “completed life” into this, it’s a completely different discussion
I can’t speak for other countries but so far in the Netherlands the rules are open, but extremely strict
Quite recently they allowed a teenager with mental issues to end her life with dignity because she was suffering for years with no view on any type of recovery. Yes, that is possible, but its also really difficult to get. No doctor would allow euthenasia on a child just because they are a bother to the parents, and IIRC, any and all of these requests have to pass panels of people who decided if it will be allowed or not.
The goal here always is to stop needless suffering