First time controversial euthanasia applied to a child in Belgium

Belgium: First case of euthanasia for terminally ill minors
In Belgium, for the first time, a terminally ill teenager - legally allowed - received active euthanasia. Further details about the patient or patient were not disclosed. In Germany, the topic of euthanasia has been the topic of controversy for years.

Legally permitted euthanasia for minors
In Belgium, the legally permitted euthanasia for minors has been applied for the first time, the chairman of the state euthanasia commission, Professor Dr. Wim Distelmans. According to him, he was informed of the case within the statutory period.

Except that a minor patient or the minor patient was terminally ill, no further details were specified: neither about age, nor sex, nor medical result.

The euthanasia law in Belgium is considered to be particularly liberal. There, for the first time, a minor patient - legally permitted - received active euthanasia. In Germany, this would be illegal. (Image: ifeelstock / fotolia.com)

Euthanasia law in Belgium is considered to be particularly liberal
The Belgian euthanasia law, in force since 2002, is considered to be particularly liberal. Doctors will be allowed to kill at the request of adult, terminally ill patients, as long as the physicians certify them unbearable suffering. The parliament extended euthanasia in early 2014 to minors if the parents agree.

"Fortunately, there are only a few children that apply, but that does not mean that we should deny them the right to a dignified death," Distelmans told the newspaper "Het Nieuwsblad," which was the first to report the case. As the Flemish broadcaster VRT reported, the case is more about a teenager than a kid.

German experts are outraged
The news caused great outrage in this country. Eugen Brysch, director of the German Foundation for Patient Protection, criticized, according to a message from the news agency dpa: "The killing at the request of children has nothing to do with dignified dying." He said: "Thus, the Benelux state leaves the human rights standards of the EU. But the European institutions are silent. "

Controversial discussions about killing on request
Although passive euthanasia, the abortion of life-support measures, is permitted or tolerated in many countries - including Germany - active euthanasia is banned in most nations. In the EU, only the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium explicitly allow killing on request.

In Germany, controversial discussions on the topic for years. Last year, a survey of oncologists found that many of them would be prepared to assist in suicide in an emergency. Other experts, such as the German Medical Association remain at their clear no to euthanasia. However, in the case of assisted suicide a criminal sanction can be waived in individual cases, as a report from the Federal Ministry of Health indicates.

"I think it is right that our legal system is silent on the drama of suicide. And that is why I am also in favor of the impunity of the individual suicide aid as a whole, "said Federal Health Minister Hermann Gröhe. (Ad)