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Dutch Euthanasia for Tinnitus!

Jan 20, 2015

 

By Wesley J. Smith

Euthanasia live withoutEuthanasia is a voracious beast, its hunger never assuaged.

Now, in the Netherlands, a woman was lethally injected because of severe tinnitus [ringing in the ear]. From the DutchNews.nl story:

A special clinic in The Hague, set up to help people whose doctors do not support euthanasia, has been reprimanded for helping a 47-year-old woman with chronic tinnitus to die, broadcaster Nos says on Monday. The independent commission charged with monitoring how Dutch euthanasia rules are applied recognizes that extreme tinnitus could be a reason for mercy killing but said Gaby Olthuis should have undergone further psychiatric research.

The story mentions a potential prosecution. That threat has no teeth. I recall one case in which a doctor killed a disabled baby–murder under Netherlander law–and received a 3 week suspended sentence. Ditto a doctor who euthanized an anorexia patient–and the medical association was up in arms.

I have moderate tinnitus. It ain’t fun. And I am sure louder ringing than I currently experience would be very disturbing. But killed for it?

Euthanasia is a voracious beast, its hunger never assuaged.

Editor’s note. According to the NL Times (which carries news of the Netherlands in English), “The case will be assessed by the Public Prosecution and the Healthcare Inspectorate. Since the introduction of the Euthanasia law in 2002, such a case has never resulted in the prosecution of a doctor.”

This post appeared at Wesley’s great blog.

Categories: Euthanasia