Belgium considering unprecedented law to grant euthanasia for children, dementia patients

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...f47_story.html

Belgium considering unprecedented law to grant euthanasia for children, dementia patients
By Associated Press, Updated: Thursday, October 31, 3:54 PM

Should children have the right to ask for their own deaths?

In Belgium, where euthanasia is now legal for people over the age of 18, the government is considering extending it to children ? something that no other country has done. The same bill would offer the right to die to adults with early dementia...

[Shiloh]

Re: Belgium considering unprecedented law to grant euthanasia for children, dementia patients

Source: http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/12...um-euthanasia/

Belgium?s Senate approves highly controversial bill that would make euthanasia legal for dying children
Tristin Hopper | 12/12/13 10:55 PM ET

Belgium, which for 11 years has been one of the world?s few countries with legalized euthanasia, raised the bar Thursday by approving a highly controversial bill that would extend doctor-assisted dying to children.

The measure, which passed the country?s Senate by a 50-17 vote has yet to be approved by the Lower House. It would make Belgium the first country to remove any age limit to legal euthanasia, although users would require parental approval and ?possess the capacity of discernment...?

[Shiloh]

Re: Belgium considering unprecedented law to grant euthanasia for children, dementia patients

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/13/world/...html?hpt=hp_t2

Belgium: Lawmakers vote for children's 'right to die' euthanasia law
By Laura Smith-Spark and Diana Magnay, CNN
updated 1:22 PM EST, Thu February 13, 2014

(CNN) -- Does a terminally ill child in intolerable pain have a right to die? Belgian lawmakers said yes.

The lower house of the Belgian Parliament adopted a bill that extends the right to euthanasia for minors, the Parliament said Thursday on its official Twitter account. The law passed 86 to 44 with 12 abstentions.

That followed a vote by the country's Senate in December supporting the measure. The next step would see the bill go to the king, Philippe, to be signed into law.

The euthanasia bill is widely supported -- but has stoked fierce opposition from critics...