Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Ethical Issues01:27

Ethical Issues

Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Executive Summary of Society of Critical Care Medicine 2026 Guidelines on the Care and Management of Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Patients at the End of Life.

Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies·2026
Same author

Society of Critical Care Medicine 2026 Guidelines on the Care and Management of Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Patients at the End of Life.

Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies·2026
Same author

Parents' Reasons Should Not Move the Boundaries of the Zone of Parental Discretion.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB·2025
Same author

Response.

Chest·2025
Same author

Themes in the Management of Pediatric Brain Death Contestation: Exploratory Qualitative Work From Multidisciplinary Health Professionals in the United States.

Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies·2025
Same author

Physicians Versus Surgeons: Conscientious Objection and Inappropriate Treatments.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

A Piglet Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
10:30

A Piglet Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Published on: May 16, 2015

Neonatal euthanasia is unsupportable: the Groningen protocol should be abandoned.

Alexander A Kon1

  • 1University of California, Davis, 2516 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. aakon@ucdavis.edu

Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics
|November 7, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Voluntary active euthanasia (VAE) is debated globally. This analysis argues against neonatal euthanasia, asserting that accurately assessing infant suffering is impossible, violating the physician's duty to do no harm.

More Related Videos

Oral Gavage in Neonatal Mouse Pups and Functional Assessment of Gut Barrier Integrity Using Ussing Chambers
07:18

Oral Gavage in Neonatal Mouse Pups and Functional Assessment of Gut Barrier Integrity Using Ussing Chambers

Published on: January 9, 2026

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

A Piglet Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
10:30

A Piglet Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Published on: May 16, 2015

Oral Gavage in Neonatal Mouse Pups and Functional Assessment of Gut Barrier Integrity Using Ussing Chambers
07:18

Oral Gavage in Neonatal Mouse Pups and Functional Assessment of Gut Barrier Integrity Using Ussing Chambers

Published on: January 9, 2026

Area of Science:

  • Bioethics
  • Medical Ethics
  • Neonatal Care

Background:

  • Growing global support for voluntary active euthanasia (VAE) is reflected in recent legislation, such as the Dutch Law on Termination of Life on Request.
  • The ethical debate surrounding VAE has intensified across Europe, the United States, and other nations.
  • Proponents argue VAE is justifiable when life's burdens outweigh its benefits for a suffering patient.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the ethical justifications for VAE in adults.
  • To analyze the applicability of these justifications to neonatal euthanasia.
  • To argue against the practice of neonatal euthanasia, even if VAE is accepted for adults.

Main Methods:

  • Ethical analysis of VAE arguments.
  • Comparison of VAE justifications for adults and neonates.
  • Examination of the challenges in assessing infant suffering.

Main Results:

  • Ethical arguments for VAE in adults do not directly translate to neonates.
  • Physicians and parents cannot accurately assess the suffering of neonates.
  • The absence of a patient's testimony prevents a reliable weighing of life's benefits and burdens.

Conclusions:

  • Neonatal euthanasia cannot be supported, even if VAE is accepted for adults.
  • Accurate assessment of suffering is a prerequisite for ethical end-of-life decisions.
  • The primary duty of physicians to avoid harm precludes neonatal euthanasia.