Dutch Doctors Euthanize Woman Because She Had Ringing in Her Ears

International   |   Wesley J. Smith   |   Jan 19, 2015   |   10:40AM   |   Amsterdam, Netherlands

Euthanasia is a voracious beast, its hunger never assuaged.

elderlypatient21Now, in the Netherlands, a woman was lethally injected because of severe tinnitus. From the DutchNews.nl story:

A special clinic in The Hague, set up to help people whose doctors do not support euthanasia, has been reprimanded for helping a 47-year-old woman with chronic tinnitus to die, broadcaster Nos says on Monday. The independent commission charged with monitoring how Dutch euthanasia rules are applied recognises that extreme tinnitus could be a reason for mercy killing but said Gaby Olthuis should have undergone further psychiatric research.

The story mentions a potential prosecution. That threat has no teeth. I recall one case in which a doctor killed a disabled baby–murder under Netherlander law–and received a 3 week suspended sentence. Ditto a doctor who euthanized an anorexia patient–and the medical association was up in arms

I have moderate tinnitus. It ain’t fun. And I am sure louder ringing  than I currently experience would be very disturbing. But killed for it?

Euthanasia is a voracious beast, its hunger never assuaged.

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LifeNews.com Note: Wesley J. Smith, J.D., is a special consultant to the Center for Bioethics and Culture and a bioethics attorney who blogs at Human Exeptionalism.