Doctors charge top nurse for letting euthanasia cat out of basket

http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/doctors-charge-top-nurse-for-letting-euthanasia-cat-out-of-basket/37634

Doctors charge top nurse for letting euthanasia cat out of basket

BY TPN/ LUSA, IN NEWS · 03-03-2016 14:06:00 · 0 COMMENTS

The Portuguese medical association is to file charges with the public prosecutor and the health inspectorate against the leader of the nurses association, Ana Rita Cavaco, who said on Saturday that euthanasia was already practiced in Portuguese health service hospitals.

 

Ms Cavaco said on the radio programme “Em nome da lei”, broadcast by Catholic station Rádio Renascença, that euthanasia “is sometimes practiced in the health service hospitals, with doctors suggesting this solution for some patients”.

The medical association issued a statement on Monday saying this affirmation was “very serious” and that it was going to send a copy of her statements to the proper authorities to open “the necessary proceedings”.

The medical association said it was unaware of any specific cases of “explicit or undercover euthanasia in the national health service or any other health institutions” and that the Portuguese should continue to have complete confidence in the health professionals.

The order went on to say that “regardless of individual positions regarding the legalisation of euthanasia, the content of the declarations was particularly serious as it involved doctors and nurses in the alleged undercover crime of homicide in hospitals”.

The medical association added that “not denouncing such a crime, which was witnessed or of specific knowledge, is also committing a crime”.

Ana Rita Cavaco said on the radio programme that she had seen situations in state hospitals where doctors suggested giving insulin to terminal patients to cause coma and death. 
“I have personally witnessed such situations - I don’t need to look for further other examples. I have seen cases where doctors have suggested administering insulin to induce an insulin coma. I am not going to shock anybody as everyone who works in the health service knows these things happen out of sight and sound, so let’s talk about it openly.”