Pediatrician Group Opposes Child Euthanasia

Medical and professional organizations too often remain silent in the face of clamoring suicide promotion. I have written, for example, of the shameful crickets-chirping abdication of responsibility by suicide prevention community to the face of blatant suicide promotion of prescribed-death activists.

Now, with Belgium legalizing child euthanasia–no age limit–and count them, two pro child euthanasia columns in the LA Times within one week, the American College of Pediatricians has come out firmly against child euthanasia. From, “Physicians are Healers–Not Killers:”

Physicians are healers not killers. An individual’s future quality of life cannot be predicted by caregivers. The role of the physician is to promote health, cure when possible, and relieve pain and suffering as part of the care they provide. The intentional neglect for, or taking of, a human life is never acceptable, regardless of health system mandates. The killing of infants and children can never be endorsed by the American College of Pediatricians and should never be endorsed by any other ethical medical or social entity.

The statement (the order of which I have rearranged in this post) also expresses worries about the future of such matters under Obamacare:

The concept of euthanasia is based on a utilitarian worldview that defines the value of the individual in terms of that individual’s contribution to society.

This ideology relegates neonates, especially those infants with congenital defects, to an expendable status. Dr. Den Trumbull states, “This belief system underlies many of the current proposals for the allocation of healthcare resources in America. Even the Affordable Care Act (ACA) prescribes that scarce resources be focused on adolescents and adults under 50. The youngest who have not yet contributed to society and the oldest that have already “lived long enough” are to receive only attenuated interventions. Under this system, certain newborn infants would be considered the least worthy to be recipient of available medical resources.”

Yes, indeedy.

This is good. Higher visibility please, and more energetically delivered denunciations of assisted suicide/euthanasia–not just website links, but active advocacy–from professional and related associations within the medical field.