Law & Ethics - November 2006

The Sunday Times - Britain

The Sunday Times November 05, 2006

Doctors: let us kill disabled babies
Sarah-Kate Templeton, Health Correspondent
ONE of Britain’s royal medical colleges is calling on the health profession to consider permitting the euthanasia of seriously disabled newborn babies.

The proposal by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology is a reaction to the number of such children surviving because of medical advances. The college is arguing that “active euthanasia” should be considered for the overall good of families, to spare parents the emotional burden and financial hardship of bringing up the sickest babies.

“A very disabled child can mean a disabled family,” it says. “If life-shortening and deliberate interventions to kill infants were available, they might have an impact on obstetric decision-making, even preventing some late abortions, as some parents would be more confident about continuing a pregnancy and taking a risk on outcome.”

Geneticists and medical ethicists supported the proposal — as did the mother of a severely disabled child — but a prominent children’s doctor described it as “social engineering”.

The college called for “active euthanasia” of newborns to be considered as part of an inquiry into the ethical issues raised by the policy of prolonging life in newborn babies. The inquiry is being carried out by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics.

The college’s submission to the inquiry states: “We would like the working party to think more radically about non-resuscitation, withdrawal of treatment decisions, the best interests test and active euthanasia as they are ways of widening the management options available to the sickest of newborns.”

Initially, the inquiry did not address euthanasia of newborns as this is illegal in Britain. The college has succeeded in having it considered. Although it says it is not formally calling for active euthanasia to be introduced, it wants the mercy killing of newborn babies to be debated by society.

The report does not spell out which conditions might justify euthanasia, but in the Netherlands mercy killing is permitted for a range of incurable conditions, including severe spina bifida and the painful skin condition called epidermolysis bullosa.

Dr Pieter Sauer, co-author of the Groningen Protocol, the Dutch national guidelines on euthanasia of newborns, claims British paediatricians perform mercy killings, and says the practice should be open.

Sauer, head of the department of paediatrics at the University Medical Centre Groningen, said: “In England they have exactly the same type of patients as we have here. English neonatologists gave me the indication that this is happening.”

Although euthanasia for severely handicapped newborn babies would prove contentious, some British doctors and ethicists are now in favour. Joy Delhanty, professor of human genetics at University College London, said: “I would support these views. I think it is morally wrong to strive to keep alive babies that are then going to suffer many months or years of very ill health.”

Dr Richard Nicholson, editor of the Bulletin of Medical Ethics, who has admitted hastening the death of two severely handicapped newborn babies when he was a junior doctor in the 1970s, said: “I wouldn’t argue against this.” He spoke of the “pain, distress and discomfort” of severely handicapped babies.

The college’s submission was also welcomed by John Harris, a member of the government’s Human Genetics Commission and professor of bioethics at Manchester University. “We can terminate for serious foetal abnormality up to term but cannot kill a newborn. What do people think has happened in the passage down the birth canal to make it okay to kill the foetus at one end of the birth canal but not at the other?” he said.

Edna Kennedy of Newcastle upon Tyne, whose son suffered epidermolysis bullosa, said: “In extremely controlled circumstances, where the baby is really suffering, it should be an option for the mother.”

However, John Wyatt, consultant neonatologist at University College London hospital, said: “Intentional killing is not part of medical care.” He added: “The majority of doctors and health professionals believe that once you introduce the possibility of intentional killing into medical practice you change the fundamental nature of medicine. It immediately becomes a subjective decision as to whose life is worthwhile.”

If a doctor can decide whether a life is worth living, “it changes medicine into a form of social engineering where the aim is to maximise the benefit for society and minimise those who are perceived as worthless”.

Simone Aspis of the British Council of Disabled People said: “If we introduced euthanasia for certain conditions it would tell adults with those conditions that they were worth less than other members of society.”

2006-11-05 05:08:49 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous

If you were to commit a crime, say murder, at 2am when BST ends, and you had an alibi for 1am, would you get away with it?

2006-11-05 04:53:46 · 8 answers · asked by highrevs 1

2006-11-05 04:45:26 · 1 answers · asked by TANNER 2

2006-11-05 04:44:19 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-11-05 04:43:39 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

Does anyone have an exact definition for "Security of Person". I have been looking all over the internet for one but cannot find one.

2006-11-05 04:32:02 · 2 answers · asked by andrewz963 1

2006-11-05 04:30:06 · 13 answers · asked by kticer07 1

Ok , here's the thing... We have had trouble with this neigbor for 7 yrs now, so today out of the blue, a cop knocks on the door, (on a Sunday morning) and serves a criminal summons, saying we vandalized a mailbox located in front of an empty run down residence, the mailbox (laying rusty on the ground) has been laying there for months, it was junk to start ... 1st of all is it legal to serve a warrant on a sunday? .... for two, the date she went down and said we did this was like July 19th, this is November, isn't there like a time limit? this was like almost 4months ago she went down and made up the lie, and they're just now coming to serve a summons...and third no one ever even came out to investigate, she just went down and made a false statement and that was that... had they came out, they'd have found a rusty old mailbox laying on the ground that's been laying there since spring or before? so the thing is are those 3 things legal?

2006-11-05 04:27:10 · 11 answers · asked by angel 2

Bush and Blair can answer this, they are the experts.

2006-11-05 04:22:32 · 5 answers · asked by mesun1408 6

what type of trial will she be givin

2006-11-05 04:20:43 · 6 answers · asked by triswmn20k 2

2006-11-05 04:16:47 · 7 answers · asked by missy c 1

2006-11-05 04:14:56 · 6 answers · asked by merlin 4

2006-11-05 04:12:17 · 9 answers · asked by hers1357 1

I used to be employed at this store. I had a fallout with a ex-coworker since her DISOBEDIENT and UNRULY child played with my mace. Since then I tried to work things like a mature adult. She acted a fool and I left it alone. Since then she has told other employees and customers that I am stalking her. I do NOT know where she lives. I just go to that store from time to time. I have NEVER followed her or anything. Now she is telling management the same BS. I want to know what can I do to clear my name legally.

2006-11-05 04:12:07 · 4 answers · asked by Rianna - Re 1

this permit should be granted to all citizens who have sworn to uphold the constitution ie [ex-military, police, politicions,judges,
lawyers] and not lost that right, due to felony conviction, less than honorable service discharge or removel from office because of denial to others their constutional rights. this shall issue permit
should have the added feature of manditory jail time for unlawfull
display or use of a wepon in the comission of a felony, with no
pleabargning . once a charge is made aginst an individual that
person must stand trial on that charge and be sentced to serve
that sentense ,if convicted, after all other related sentenses are
served with no probation or porole.if we can send a person with a
gun to iraque , why not that same person carrying a gun in the
U.S.A.?

2006-11-05 04:08:31 · 4 answers · asked by ken'squestions 1

many personality, Law supported that sucided is strongest and positive asspects of life

2006-11-05 04:01:34 · 13 answers · asked by SG 4

of my own money or w/e and the lady was like do you have ur drivers license (im 14) and i was like no well shes told my mom i couldnt get one cuz i didnt have a license yet what the muck does that have to do w/ anything?! help plz

2006-11-05 03:57:32 · 7 answers · asked by *!* BrOoKe *!* 2

2006-11-05 03:24:37 · 16 answers · asked by boohamjad 1

1. Negligence
2.Acting without due care and attentio
3.Defence of automatism

2006-11-05 03:14:39 · 4 answers · asked by gabroo 1

Um, Saddam is sentenced to death by hanging? I never knew they still hung people? I thought they only used Electric Chairs

2006-11-05 03:09:06 · 13 answers · asked by mrxxbrian 2

2006-11-05 03:04:03 · 6 answers · asked by stoney m 1

1) Yes
2) No. If Not what would be the best verdict, in your opinion?
3) I haven't been following the trial

2006-11-05 02:59:14 · 21 answers · asked by Sierra Leone 6

my question is: can faculty and staff have prayer in the school when the children are not there? at my school, during pre-planning, our principal led prayer for the faculty. They also had a religious song that was sung by a singer. the kids were not there that day. It is a christian prayer, but not all faculty are christians there. the principal does not ask, he just does it. is this ok since we all have to attend pre-planning?

2006-11-05 02:57:20 · 7 answers · asked by Lilypie99 3

How would you respond if your were ordered to go through a complete strip search at an airport, a government building, etc.?

2006-11-05 02:44:44 · 8 answers · asked by Feathery 6

got banned last wednsday but looked at charge sheet and realised that the car reg was wrong. can i appeal or is it to late. technacally i pleaded guilty to an offence of driving a car that i wasnt.
any help is appriciated

2006-11-05 02:21:06 · 21 answers · asked by david r 1

2006-11-05 02:16:47 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-11-05 02:16:29 · 1 answers · asked by ? 1

Should I sign or get an attorney. I do not live on the prop . but i have a will & a deed. Can they do this?

2006-11-05 02:04:18 · 11 answers · asked by mimisz94 1

Do they exist in America?

2006-11-05 01:57:20 · 3 answers · asked by imahlah 6

1. Does society have the right to pass judgement on private matters which concern only the individual?

2. In what circumstances is intervention justified?

3. Should the law intervene to prohibit or restrict the free market in pornography? If so, what form should regulation take?

4. What are the dangers of legal regulation in this area?

2006-11-05 01:44:01 · 6 answers · asked by gabroo 1