Dutch euthanasia law leads to neglect of terminally ill

Daily Mail:

Legalised euthanasia has led to a severe decline in the quality of care for terminally-ill patients in Holland, it has been claimed.

Many ask to die 'out of fear' because of an absence of effective pain relief, according to a new book.

Even the architect of the controversial law has admitted she may have made a mistake in pushing it through because of its impact on services for the elderly.

Holland was the first country in the world to legalise euthanasia, in 2002.

But Dr Els Borst, the former Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister who guided the law through the Dutch parliament, now says it was brought in 'far too early'.

Without elaborating, she admitted that medical care for the terminally-ill had declined since the law came into effect.

She said more should have been done legally to protect people who wanted to die natural deaths.

'In the Netherlands, we first listened to the political and societal demand in favour of euthanasia,' said Dr Borst. 'Obviously, this was not in the proper order.'

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This is an example of the slippery slope when a culture of death replaces a culture of life. From abortion to euthanasia there are some just too willing to terminate life.