translated from Spanish: Historic euthanasia-related trial begins in The Netherlands

LA HAYA, Netherlands (AP) — A landmark judgment on euthanasia began on Monday in the Netherlands to try to define what to do with dementia patients who previously expressed a desire to die under certain circumstances, but who probably reconsidered it. The trial centers on a 74-year-old woman who three years ago received lethal doses of medication even though there were indications that she may have changed her mind. The doctor in the case is accused of not doing enough to find out if the patient wanted to die.

The doctor is accused of violating euthanasia law and, if the judge fails that the patient’s request was not enough, that charge, in theory, could become one of murder. However, the prosecution does not seek a criminal conviction against the doctor and does not call into question its good intention. Instead, use your case to define a better legal framework for future occasions. HELP US Click the Google News star and follow us”We believe that the doctor did not act carefully enough and therefore exceeded the threshold. But at the same time, we also recognize that this threshold is not very clear,” public prosecutor’s office Marilyn Fikenscher said, emphasizing the argument that the doctor acted in good faith.” It doesn’t need to be sanctioned,” Fikenscher said. The daughter of the patient who died also defended the doctor. It is the first case of its kind since euthanasia was legalized in 2002 in a country that has pioneered intentional death if suffering becomes overwhelming. The Netherlands Euthanasia Act 2002 decriminalizes the practice if perpetrated by a doctor who adheres to strict conditions. The Netherlands is one of five countries that allows doctors to kill their patients at their request and one in two, along with Belgium, which allows practice in people with a mental illness. Euthanasia means that doctors actively kill patients with an injection of medications, but in assisted death patients are given a lethal solution that they must take on their own.

Original source in Spanish