The government of the Netherlands has approved plans which will permit doctors to legally euthanize children below the age of 12.Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said the new policy was necessary to help “a small group of terminally ill children who agonize with no hope, and unbearable suffering,” The Guardian reported.
The county, which has one of the most liberal euthanasia policies in the world, already allows young people between the ages of 12 and 18 to opt for the procedure as long as consent is given by the patient and their parents, The Guardian reported.The rule also applies to babies below the age of one.
The issue has sparked months of debate in the four-party ruling coalition government in the Netherlands, the BBC reported.The practice has also faced opposition from certain conservative Christian groups.
After the government finally approved the plan, the country’s health minister has said he will soon draw out new regulations to ensure that the practice is not misused.He cited a study conducted by experts, which showed that around five to ten children would be affected by the rule change every year.
