In the Netherlands, children with terminal illnesses and high levels of distress for whom palliative care provides little or no relief can receive euthanasia.
What happened:
The Dutch government has approved euthanasia for children aged 1 to 12 with terminal and unbearable diseases. The procedure should only be carried out if it is the only reasonable alternative to end the child’s suffering.
Euthanasia is already legal in the Netherlands for babies under the age of one, provided there is parental consent, and for babies over the age of 12.
“The end of life for this group [crianças com doenças incuráveis] is the only reasonable alternative to end the unbearable suffering”the government said in a statement.
Dutch Health Minister Ernst Kuipers said the measure could be applied to a “small group” of five to 10 children a year..
“This applies to children affected by an illness or condition so severe that death is inevitable. and (…) expected without a possible future,” said the minister.
In February 2014 the Belgium was the first country in the world to authorize euthanasia for minors “with judgment”.
After reevaluating the rules, the Dutch government decided to widen access to the procedure “to include children aged 1 to 12”.
*With information from AFP