In the groningen protocol, euthanasia means the direct killing of the neonatal. In a text written in 2004, entitled the groningen protocol, professor eduard verhagen, head of the depart. Comparing the treatment of terminallyill infants in the netherlands with treatment given in the united states and england. Neonatal endoflife decisions and bioethical perspectives. The groningen protocol is a medical protocol created in september 2004 by eduard verhagen, the medical director of the department of pediatrics at the university medical center groningen umcg in groningen, the netherlands. Netherlands, groningen protocol, neonatal euthanasia, palliative. The groningen protocol is unethical because it does not meet the standards of argumentbased ethics in defining its four clinical criteria. For 600 of these infants, death is preceded by a medical decision regarding the end of life. Download pdf in the september 2005 issue of pediatrics, verhagen and sauer 1 again discuss their proposed protocol for euthanizing certain sick neonates.
Bioethicsmyelomeningocelespina bifida neonatal euthanasiagroningen protocolquality of life. A pdf copy of this statement is available here, neonatal euthanasia. Ow, and the groningen protocol is not about a happyhealthy life, but about living in agony and pain and what to do about that. One of those interventions was the groningen protocol for newborn euthanasia in severely ill newborns, published in 2005. Jan 02, 2008 the groningen protocol is applicable to all three groups, but because there is a consensus in the netherlands regarding the moral permissibility of ending the lives of babies in groups 1 and 2, critics have particularly attacked the protocol s application to babies in group 3. The groningen protocol is clinically unnecessary, unscientific, and unethical. Several criticisms of the groningen protocol rest on misunderstandings about how it works or which babies it. We were very pleased at how well hilde lindemann and mar ian verkerk addressed the misunder standings that have distorted percep tions of the groningen protocol end ing the life of a newborn. Groningen protocol entails and whether what it purports to do is ethical. Francis, n 2016, neonatal deaths under dutch groningen protocol very rare despite misinformation contagion, journal of assisted dying, vol. Article information, pdf download for neonatal euthanasia. Our group developed an approach to identify situations in which neonatal euthanasia might be appropriate and published the protocol for this in the new england journal of medicine in 2005. Why do neonatologists in scandinavian countries and the. The groningen protocol allows for the euthanasia of severely ill newborns with a hopeless prognosis and unbearable suffering.
The question now is whether deliberate lifeending procedures are acceptable for newborns and infants, despite the fact that these patients cannot. What the groningen protocol proposes to do is both ethical and also the. Neonatal euthanasia was recently legalized in the netherlands and the groningen protocol gp was developed to regulate the practice. These rules, known as the groningen protocol, pertain to infants who would continue to survive after the withdrawal of medical care. Background the groningen protocol aims at providing guidance in endoflife decisionmaking for severely impaired newborns. The transition from the paternalistic paradigm of the hippocratic tradition to the present model of shared decision making has.
It contains directives with criteria under which physicians can perform active ending of life on infants child euthanasia without fear of legal prosecution. An infant must meet the following five criteria to be eligible for active euthanasia under the. The groningen protocol, introduced in the netherlands in 2005 and accompanied by revised guidelines published in a report commissioned by the royal dutch medical association in 2014, specifies conditions under which the lives of severely ill newborns may be deliberately ended. For approximately 600 of these infants, death is preceded by a medical decision regarding the end of.
Dutch protocols for deliberately ending the life of newborns. Advocates for euthanasia in adults have relied on the concept of human autonomy, which is lacking in the case of infants. Understanding the groningen protocol to morally assess the protocol as accurately and fairly as possible, it is imperative to look at exactly what its guidelines are proposing. Ending the life of a newborn essay example topics and well. In the netherlands, neonatal euthanasia has become a legal option and the groningen protocol contains an approach to identify situations in which neonatal euthanasia might be appropriate. Download citation permissions article alert reprints article figuresmedia march 10, 2005 n engl j med 2005. Pdf the groningen protocol for neonatal euthanasia. Dutch protocol from groningen the socalled groningen protocol. The journal seeks to promote ethical reflection and conduct in scientific research and medical practice.
The groningen protocol does not give physicians unassailable legal protection. Arguments in favour and against the groningen protocol were grouped opposing each other according to. Central and eastern european online library cee journals, documents, articles, periodicals, books available online for download, zeitschrfitendatenbank. The groningen protocol several criticisms of the groningen protocol rest on misunderstandings about how it works or which babies it concerns. Oct 01, 2009 despite these objections, in 2005 the groningen protocol was adopted by the dutch pediatric association as a national guideline. Since its publication in 2005 many bioethicists and health care professionals have written articles in response. In the netherlands, meanwhile, the socalled groningen protocol allows for neonatal euthanasia of severely ill newborns. The groningen protocol is applicable to all three groups, but because there is a consensus in the netherlands regarding the moral permissibility of ending the lives of babies in groups 1 and 2, critics have particularly attacked the protocol s application to babies in group 3. Deliberate termination of life of newborns with spina bifida, a critical.
Pdf the groningen protocol marian a verkerk academia. The groningen protocol aims at providing guidance in endoflife decisionmaking for severely impaired newborns. One of the most recent controversies to arise in the field of bioethics concerns the ethics for the groningen protocol. However, only very little is known about the opinion among the general population on this subject.
The dutch association of paediatrics should revoke its approval and adoption of. A case for justified nonvoluntary active euthanasia. The groningen protocol euthanasia in severely ill newborns. Jul 01, 2005 although not legally available for infants, a survey of neonatologists in the netherlands indicates that infant active euthanasia has occurred 1520 times a year. In the 5 years following the publication of the protocol, neither the prediction that this would be the. Killing such children is permitted up to the age of one in the. It was drafted by verhagen and sauer at the university medical centre in groningen and was granted authorization for national implementation from.
Het geeft richtlijnen en criteria waarmee artsen levensbeeindiging van pasgeborenen kunnen uitvoeren in geval van ondraaglijk en uitzichtloos lijden, zonder gevaar van strafvervolging. The groningen protocol is unscientific because it does not meet the accepted standards of evidencebased reasoning concerning the four clinical criteria for its application. University of groningen ending the life of a newborn. What the protocol says e duard verhagen and pieter sauer, the two pediatricians at the university medical center groningen most intimately involved in developing and publicizing the protocol, have identified three categories of newborns for whom doctors must make endoflife decisions. The groningen protocol article in the hastings center report january 2008 doi. Attitudes among the general austrian population towards. In 2005, physicians in the netherlands published the groningen protocol in the new england journal of medicine, defending the ethical.
Ending the life of a newborn essay example topics and. The groningen protocol the dossiers of the european institute of bioethics professor verhagens point of departure, in his article published in 2005 in the new england journal of medicine1 on the groningen protocol, is the following statistic. The aim of this study was to present the general attitude towards. Groningen protocol will be analysed to consider whether this method should be adopted in australia, and if it is, the framework in which it would possibly operate. Dutch culture and the groningen protocol to the editor. Feb 04, 2015 the groningen protocol the dossiers of the european institute of bioethics professor verhagens point of departure, in his article published in 2005 in the new england journal of medicine1 on the groningen protocol, is the following statistic. Journal of medical ethics is a leading international journal that reflects the whole field of medical ethics. Protocol for euthanasia of severely ill newborns american. The aim of this study was to present the general attitude. The transition from the paternalistic paradigm of the hippocratic tradition to the present model of shared decision making has altered the patient doctor relationship. We understand the impetus for such a protocol but have moral and ethical concerns with it.
Although familycentred care and attention to the needs of parents are important parts of paediatric ethics, we must be sure that the goals of care always centre first and foremost on the child. The groningen protocol lindemann 2008 hastings center. The groningen protocol euthanasia in severely ill newborns the groningen protocol euthanasia in severely ill newborns eduard verhagen, m. Jan 01, 2008 the groningen protocol is applicable to all three groups, but because there is a consensus in the netherlands regarding the moral permissibility of ending the lives of babies in groups 1 and 2, critics have particularly attacked the protocol s application to babies in group 3. In an attempt to alleviate the suffering of extremely ill neonates, the university medical center groningen developed a protocol for neonatal euthanasia. I conclude that because the primary duty of physicians is to never harm their patients, neonatal euthanasia cannot be supported. During the past few months, the international press has. The groningen protocol comes to the united states national. In this article, i first present the ethical justifications for vae and discuss how these arguments relate to euthanizing ill neonates.
For the past thirty years, voluntary euthanasia and physicianassisted suicide of adult patients have been common practice in the netherlands. The groningen protocol is developed to aid children under 12 years of age because they have no legal right to ask for euthanasia, as children of 12 years of age and older do. The groningen protocol, established in 2005, introduced the possibility of ending the life of newborns who fulfill certain specific criteria. Pdf the groningen protocoleuthanasia in severely ill. Case law has so far protected physicians from prosecution as long as they act in accordance with the protocol, but no blackletter law exists in this area. Dutch protocols for deliberately ending the life of. The groningen protocol, hastings center report 38, no. This will help reduce the burden on the parents minimizing the possibility of terminating their lives through groningen protocol. Ow, and the groningen protocol is not about a happyhealthy life. Paper the groningen protocol for newborn euthanasia. Euthanasia of newborns and the groningen protocol european. Groningen developed a protocol for neonatal euthanasia. She made a thoughtful plea for the ethics of the groningen protocol.
Several criticisms of the groningen protocol rest on misunderstandings about how it works or which babies it concerns. The groningen protocol has been met with an intense amount of criticism, some even calling it a relapse. View or download all content the institution has subscribed to. Find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. It was drafted by verhagen and sauer at the university medical centre in groningen and was granted authorization for national implementation from the dutch association of pediatric care.
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