Euthanasia is a virulent affliction of the modern era. (For one of the reasons why, see my current First Things column.)
The Netherlands allows euthanasia down to age 12 and so tolerates infanticide–technically murder under the law–that baby-killing doctors felt confident enough to publish the Groningen Protocol, a bureaucratic check list for which sick or disabled babies can be euthanized.
Belgium has now legalized child euthanasia with no age limits.
Medical authorities are investigating whether UK doctors kill sick children. From the AP story:
British doctors have secretly killed terminally sick children by giving them ‘huge’ overdoses of painkillers, it was claimed yesterday.
Health officials are investigating claims that terminally ill children have been illegally euthanised by British doctors. An official investigation has been launched by the Department of Health into the allegations, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said.
In February retired GP Michael Irwin claimed that medics have given sick children overdoses with painkillers. At the time Mr Hunt said he would look into the issue and now he has confirmed that the Department of Health is investigating.
Irwin is a complete madman on euthanasia, but he is not afraid to bring killing practices into the light of day. His hope, of course, is to normalize euthanasia in all its manifestations.
There may be method to his madness. The way things are going with Brits flying to Switzerland for assisted suicide, if the answer to the probe is yes, the call will not be to punish the child-killing doctors, but rather, to legalize their dark practice so it can be done in the light of day.