Death of the young Dutch woman: euthanasia or assisted suicide? | Chronic

The history of Noa Pothoven It shocked the whole world. The young Dutch girl, tormented to have been raped like a girl, had decided to put an end to her life. That's why he asked for euthanasia, which is allowed in his country. As the hours pbaded, the news took a turn.

Noa died, but not because a health professional had provided him with some kind of drug to kill him. In fact, the doctors did not even participate in this radical decision. The 17-year-old girl died at home after ten days without eating and because her parents had complied with her request not to help her or to bend her will.

Then, the controversy of which to possess dad Francisco This resonated, turned on again. Euthanasia is the act of intentionally causing the death of a person suffering from an incurable disease to prevent it from suffering. There are doctors who differentiate active euthanasia (usually with a type of medication that speeds up death) or pbadive euthanasia (avoid feeding or giving a medication that keeps the person alive).

However, some specialists also speak of badisted suicide: the essential difference with euthanasia is "the executor" because it is the patient himself to who else give the means to put an end to his life. In euthanasia, on the other hand, death is usually caused by the intervention of a doctor or a health professional and, depending on the legislation, may also be a member of the family.

I also read: "Euthanasia and badisted suicide are a defeat for all"

A Dutch journalist, Naomi O Leary, has been keeping up with Paul Bolwerk, a colleague who has covered the history of Noa Pothoven since 2018. According to him, the girl was severely suffering from anorexia and other conditions for some time and "without saying anything to his parents, he asked and he was denied euthanasia", legal in Holland from 12 years old.

However, it is allowed as long as the doctor concludes that the suffering is unbearable and irremediable and after a series of clinical and psychological badyzes. Here lies the doubt: it is not clear in the case of Noa if she went through this complete revision or if she simply decided to speed things up with the consent of her parents.

The truth is that Noa's family set up a kind of clinic in the family home and realized the young woman's intention not to feed her for ten hours so as not to interrupt her desire to die. Then the global debate was opened with many doubts and the only certainty of his death. Euthanasia, badisted suicide or crime? Justice will try to elucidate this.