I am preparing a sermon on the topic of Euthanasia for this sunday at Bellerive and I came across this article. How sad to have introduced legislation for death. At least the former Dutch Minister is prepared to admit her mistake. But at what price? – the death of so many.
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The former Dutch minister who successfully promoted the legalization of euthanasia has now admitted that the government’s move was a mistake, and says that they should have first focused on palliative care.
“Els Borst, who served as Health Minister for the Netherlands from 1994 to 2002, proposed the country’s infamous euthanasia bill. When it passed in 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia. In 2008, Dutch doctors reported 2,331 cases of euthanasia, 400 cases of assisted suicide, and 550 deaths without request.
“Borst drew criticism from some Christian political parties shortly after the passage of her bill for comments she made in an interview. Echoing the Christ’s final words on the Cross, Borst exclaimed: “It is finished!”
“Now, however, she thinks the government acted too soon, as she told Dr. Anne-Mei The in interviews for the latter’s new book on the history of euthanasia, entitled Verlossers naast God (“Redeemer under God”).
“The legalization of euthanasia came “far too early,” Borst said, admitting that the government did not give enough attention to palliative care and support for the dying. “In the Netherlands, we first listened to the political and societal demand in favour of euthanasia,” she said. “Obviously, this was not in the proper order.”
Full article, Former Dutch Health Minister Admits Error of Legalizing Euthanasia. See also, Euthanasia: a creeping corrosion and Is euthanasia a morally acceptable way to ease suffering of the elderly?
[Update June, 2012: Dr. Borst has rebutted these claims here.]
Dear Bishop Harrower
It is a pity that when including in a sermon reference to an article in the UK Daily Mail, that you did not research further. You would have found that Els Borst very definitely rebutted the claim in that article. Here is a translation of that rebuttal.
I am not of the opinion that the Euthanasia law was implemented too fast.
In two articles that appeared about the book “Redeemers next to God” by Anne-Mei The (NRC, 28-11-2009) one writes that I would be of the opinion that the Euthanasia Law was implemented “too fast”. That is not the case at all. What I did say when talking to mrs. The is that the development of palliative terminal care in the Netherlands started relatively late. Only in 1996 – at the initiative of a number of doctors – the Network Palliative Care for Terminal patients in the Netherlands (NPCTN) was established. Public and political discussion on euthanasia were then already more than ten years ongoing (criteria of good care formulated in 1984; report State Committee published in 1985).
Because I attach great interest to a broad availability of good palliative care, and because I think euthanasia should balance (be the closing piece of) a good palliative care trajectory, I created as Health Minister in 1998 the possibility for a five-year Stimulation Program Palliative Care, with a yearly budget of 7 million guilders. This Program was successful: palliative care made up for its arrears. When the Euthanasia Law was implemented in 2002, the balance was restored sufficiently to welcome this new way.
Els Borst-Eilers, former Health Minister
Thank you for the information. I have traced down Dr. Borst’s to the following site (http://www.worldrtd.net/news/uproar-over-dutch-euthanasia-laws-architect-els-borst). This article is now quite dated and specifics of the debate have moved on. I have issue with Dr. Borst’s view that euthanasia is a form of palliation – the line between care and killing is not so easily bridged. But I am glad that she has articulated her views clearly.