The Netherlands allows doctors euthanizing a patient with severe dementia to slip a sedative into the drink or food.
The change to the codes of practice is intended to prevent patients from becoming violent if there are concerns they will become aggressive, disturbed, or agitated.
The new rule comes in response to the case of a doctor who was prosecuted for murder after spiking her 74-year-old patient’s drink before the planned death.
The patient was suffering from advanced dementia and told doctors before her condition worsened that she wished to die when ‘the time was right.’
Dr. Marinou Arends was given a written reprimand by the medical board but in April, the court dismissed the medical board’s decision and ruled that no laws had been broken.
Jacob Kohnstamm, the chair of the euthanasia review committee, said the body needs to update the rules for medics involved in euthanasia.
Under the new rule in cases where a patient has advanced dementia, “it is not necessary for the doctor to agree with the patient the time or manner in which euthanasia will be given.”
“Doctors now have less to worry about putting their necks in a noose with euthanasia,” Kohnstamm said. “They need less fear of justice. Or for the review committee.”
Kohnstamm added: “It’s only two or three cases a year but this might help doctors to have less fear of a penal case.”
One person commented: “I should like to write a living will stating “Kill me when my mind is gone”, but how would someone else know when I want to leave?”
Another wrote: “We all should be able to die when the time is right.”
A third added: “This should allowed everywhere in the world ,at the persons request or by living will.”
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Replaced!