Dutch mobile euthanasia units to make house calls

New scheme called 'Life End' will respond to sick people whose own doctors have refused to help them end their lives at home

Kate Connolly in Berlin
guardian.co.uk,

A controversial system of mobile euthanasia units that will travel around the country to respond to the wishes of sick people who wish to end their lives has been launched in the Netherlands.

The scheme, which started on Thursday , will send teams of specially trained doctors and nurses to the homes of people whose own doctors have refused to carry out patients' requests to end their lives.

The launch of the so-called Levenseinde, or "Life End", house-call units – whose services are being offered to Dutch citizens free of charge – coincides with the opening of a clinic of the same name in The Hague, which will take patients with incurable illnesses as well as others who do not want to die at home.

The scheme is an initiative by the Dutch Association for a Voluntary End to Life (NVVE), a 130,000-member euthanasia organisation that is the biggest of its kind in the world.

"From Thursday, the Life End clinic will have mobile teams where people who believe they are eligible for euthanasia can register," Walburg de Jong, a NVVE spokesman, said.

"If they do comply, the teams will be able to carry out the euthanasia at patients' homes should their regular doctors be unable or refuse to help them," he added.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/01/dutch-mobile-euthanasia...

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Permalink Reply by truth on March 2, 2012 at 7:21pm

Animal House - Enter the Deathmobile

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Permalink Reply by Amaterasu Solar on March 2, 2012 at 7:26pm

My only issue with this is if a rich, ill person who can no longer talk gets falsely signed up by money-grubbing relatives.

Other than that, I feel We all have the right to choose to die. If it is Our choice, We should be able to avail Ourselves of a service like this.

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Permalink Reply by Misteri on March 2, 2012 at 8:14pm

I never had anything against Dr. Kevorkian. I feel no one human being has the right to tell another what is right to do with their body. It is ones own personal temple. The laws that apply in my temple may not apply in yours, but that is the right to each persons desire. I do however have a problem with suicide, I feel that it is a weakness. But as I read back over my statement I have to think to myself, that is almost a way of life perpetuating itself. Get rid of the weak so the strong can survive. Contribute what you can or get the f*** off the planet. Hmmm, this will take more consideration. The point made about the blood suckers coming in to do it for the specific reason of profit should be considered on each individual case. This should be accomplished by having the person affected request the assistance before they become incapacitated. After this the organization should be contacted and the procedure carried out.