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Dutch MD cleared in euthanasia landmark
A DUTCH doctor was acquitted yesterday in a landmark trial that prosecutors and physicians hope will help clarify how the country鈥檚 2002 euthanasia law can be applied to people with severe dementia.
The doctor, who was not named in court, was cleared of any wrongdoing in carrying out euthanasia three years ago on a 74-year-old woman. The patient was given fatal doses of drugs despite some indications she might have changed her mind since declaring in writing that she wanted euthanasia.
The court ruled that in rare cases of euthanasia that were being performed on patients with severe dementia 鈥 and who had earlier made a written request for euthanasia 鈥 the doctor 鈥渄id not have to verify the current desire to die.鈥
Judges at The Hague District Court ruled that the doctor met all criteria under the Dutch law legalizing mercy killing by physicians. Applause broke out among the dozens of people at the hearing.
The doctor was accused of not acting with due care because she made insufficient efforts to find out whether the patient still wanted to die. The physician drugged the patient鈥檚 coffee without her knowledge and then had family members restrain the woman while delivering the fatal injection.
Prosecution spokeswoman Sanne van der Harg said prosecutors will study the judgment before deciding on an appeal.
Steven Pleiter of the Euthanasia Expertise Center welcomed the verdict.
鈥淚t feels good for people in the Netherlands that this is a clear view of the judges and court that it is possible to give euthanasia to a person who is not mentally competent,鈥 he said.
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