Dutch court acquits doctor of forced euthanasia

A physician who administered lethal drugs to a resistant dementia patient committed legal euthanasia, judges in the Netherlands ruled Wednesday. The Hague District Court concluded the doctor met all the requirements under the law permitting doctors to kill patients who are suffering with no hope for improvement. “The doctor did not need to verify the current desire for euthanasia [of the patient],” presiding Judge Mariette Renckens said.

Why does the case matter? The 74-year-old woman requested euthanasia in writing before her dementia became severe. But at the time of her death in 2016, she resisted. The now-retired doctor gave the patient coffee with a sedative and had family members hold her down while the doctor injected her with life-ending drugs. Pro-life advocates worry that Canada or some U.S. states that allow euthanasia could follow suit in allowing the forced killing of dementia patients

Dig deeper: Read WORLD Digital’s coverage of how euthanasia advocates keep pushing past the boundaries of decency and humanity.