Why Palliative Care for Children is Preferable to Euthanasia

1. Brian S. Carter, MD1,2⇑

1. ¹Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, USA
2. ²Bioethics Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA

1. Brian S. Carter, MD, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, and, Bioethics Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA. Email: bscarter@cmh.edu

Abstract

Recent laws in Europe now allow for pediatric euthanasia. The author reviews some rationale for caution, and addresses why ensuring the availability of pediatric palliative care is an important step before allowing pediatric euthanasia.