Physician-hastened Death In Young Children: Getting To Underlying Assumptions.
Title
Physician-hastened Death In Young Children: Getting To Underlying Assumptions.
Creator
Liao L; Chan D
Identifier
PMCID: PMC4934156
Publisher
Journal Of Paediatrics And Child Health
Date
2016
Subject
Ethics; Euthanasia; Infants; Physician-assisted Death; Suffering; Worldview
Description
Significant changes are occurring in Canada's health care system regarding physician-hastened death (PHD). In the Netherlands, where the Groningen Protocol is in place, euthanasia in now legal for infants and children. The present article considers whether PHD should be applied to young children in Canada and how these paediatric cases differ from adult cases. The discussion analyzes and critiques the underlying assumptions necessary to believe that PHD is good. The role of worldviews in the deliberation of any moral question and the importance of recognizing personal bias are highlighted. The authors present common issues regarding PHD, including suffering, parental autonomy and future quality of life, and examine the basic assumptions on which these arguments are made. Finally, they conclude that the assumptions required are incorrect and that PHD should not be allowed in the case of children. Instead, policies should continue to strive for the protection and promotion of health in all children.
Rights
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Citation List Month
June 2016 List
Citation
Liao L; Chan D, “Physician-hastened Death In Young Children: Getting To Underlying Assumptions.,” Pediatric Palliative Care Library, accessed March 28, 2024, https://pedpalascnetlibrary.omeka.net/items/show/10542.