Groningen Protocol

The Groningen protocol was September 2004 formulated by the Groningen University Hospital " Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen " in the Netherlands, to doctors who practice euthanasia in newborn and young children, to protect them from criminal prosecution.

The protocol mentioned guidelines and criteria by which physicians' termination of life of newborns "and" termination of life of children up to 12 years " allowed to practice without having to be prosecuted can. The euthanize newborns is permitted under the terms of the Groningen Protocol and protected by criminal law, so exporting doctors (who have not explicitly requested euthanasia ) is not for the murder of minors can be prosecuted. The Dutch public prosecutor's office in Groningen has accepted the Groningen protocol and provides a tracking incidents of euthanasia, if they are done in compliance with the Protocol.

The Dutch Association of Pediatrics ( " Nederlandse Vereniging voor Kindergeneeskunde " ) has taken early July 2005 the Groningen protocol as binding on the practice in the field of pediatric medicine in the Netherlands.