Belgium Palliative Care Workers Unable to Kill Patients Due to Shortage of Euthanasia Drug

August 11, 2006 ^ | Friday August 11, 2006 | John Jalsevac

[6SJ7]

Brave New World has arrived.

[marron]

Belgians report a crisis: there are too many Belgians; they aren't dying quickly enough.

Cultural pessimism reveals itself in so many ways.

[annalex]

[usmcobra]

[joshhiggins]

I thought this was a satire when I first read it, then I found the original source at Expatica (news site for expatriot Belgians) and it's apparently true.

Euthanasia drug in short supply


9 August 2006


BRUSSELS — An emergency solution was at hand on Tuesday to a shortage of a euthanasia drug in Belgium that had threatened to make the performing of mercy killings almost impossible.

The problem developed after the producer of the drug Pentothal transferred its licence onto another firm, newspaper 'De Morgen' reported on Tuesday.

Pentothal is Belgium's pre-eminent euthanasia drug and there is no alternative medicine.

"We have now been without it for a couple of weeks," a palliative care professor at the VUB, Wim Distelmans, said.

"With euthanasia, the intention is that patients are brought into an irreversible coma in an elegant and definite manner. Pentothal is
the only means that comes into consideration."

The problem developed after US pharmaceutical firm Abbott passed the production of the drug onto its spin-off company Hospira.

The transfer of the licence caused administrative and supply problems, but Hospira said on Tuesday it has lodged all of the necessary papers with authorities and hopes to quickly have the drug available again.

It has a stock of 4,000 bottles of Pentothal which can be quickly released onto the market, VRT reported. That would be sufficient for a month.

A spokesman from Multipharma — which runs 200 pharmacies in Belgium — had earlier confirmed the seriousness of the problem.

"Our supply is completely finished," Marc Cornely said.

It had initially been feared that it would take three months before the drug would become available again.

On average, there are 30 registered euthanasia deaths every month in Belgium. However, it is estimated that double that amount actually take place.

That means that up to 180 people who wish to die a dignified death in coming months could be denied the chance, unless normal Pentothal supplies can be restored or the drug is obtained from abroad.

[Copyright Expatica News 2006]

[TheDon]

Hmmmm....California could use some help from the Belgians euthanising our death row convicts.

[socialismisinsidious]

pal·li·a·tive (pl-tv, ---tv) adj. Relieving or soothing the symptoms of a disease or disorder without effecting a cure.

Have to love the linguistic gymnastics of that./s What a sick, sick society......yet there are many here who don't see the slippery slope and would argue that Terri had a "right" to die.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Do Belgian doctors even take the Hippocratic Hypocrite Oath?"

There. Fixed it.

[buffyt]

Awe, can't kill granny and take her house and money. Awe.

[VOA]

pal·li·a·tive (pl-tv, ---tv) adj. Relieving or soothing the symptoms of
a disease or disorder without effecting a cure.

Incorrect word in some cases.
It certainly is "a cure" for those that want to end their lives.
And "a cure" for heirs that want to get their hands on that cash!

[jw777]

just use scissors to the skull, like the abortionists do. i bet it will be very "progressive" of them. /sarc

[Mrs. Don-o]

"The new producer of the drug, Hospira..."

Wow. Like "Hospice" plus "Expire." These people are going to drive Onion out of business...reality keeps outpacing satire...

[July4th64]

Very elegant....yet dignified.

[sgtbono2002]

These people are old weak and sick, Just use a Garrote.

>>>>>>>>S<<<<<

[FreeRep]

In 1939 Hitler ordered widespread "mercy killing" of the sick and disabled. Euthanasia program (Lebensunwertes Leben) (Leben unwürdig vom Leben) "Love unworthy of love" "life unworthy of life", focused on newborns and very young children. Somethings Never Change!

[ApplegateRanch]

DON'T EAT IT!

SOYLENT GREEN IS BELGIANS!!

YEEEeeeeaaaAAGGGHHHH!!!!!

[I still care]

"brought into an irreversible coma in an elegant and definite manner."

I guess the doctor went with Michael Schiavo's lawyer to the same school.

When Terri starved to death, from what I hear, she was in a state of "euphoria".

[Chode]

like opening the spigot on a morphine drip wouldn't painlessly do the job nicely...

[HKMk23]

Why sure; that's a heck of an idea!

I'll donate a shop vac! And I can probably find a spare set of scissors around the hose somewhere. Where do I ship em?

[Gondring]

The author might have chosen a less unfortunate metaphor.

It was very intentionally chosen, I'm sure...not exactly an unbiased article--check the source! It's from a "pro-life-at-all-costs,who-cares-about-what-you-want" site.