Glaucoma is Cause for Euthanasia in Belgium

Euthanasia twins ‘had nothing to live for’ – Telegraph.

Marc and Eddy Verbessem, two identical twins, opted for euthanasia at age 45.  The pair had been born deaf  and lived together throughout their lives, working as cobblers.  They communicated with each other and with their other family members via a unique sign language.  After being told that they had  glaucoma, and would go blind,  the two were driven to despair, thinking that they would not be able to see each other anymore, and would need to be institutionalized.

The Verbessem twins, of Putte, a village outside of Brussels were refused euthanasia by their local hospital.  They did not fit the criterion of unbearable pain, which is the usual standard applied to allow this form of killing.   Their request was accepted by Professor Wim Distelmans, and was carried out at Brussels University Hospital in Jette.

Remy Verbessem, the twins’ older brother said that the two had suffered other medical conditions,  and that Eddy had a deformed spine, and had undergone heart surgery.  The twins feared that they would become blind from the  glaucoma.  Apparently the socialized medicine system of Belgium offers no adequate  treatments for glaucoma. 

Belgium is considering a new law which will allow euthanasia of children and Alzheimer’s patients.   The organs of those who are euthanized in Belgium are harvested for use in transplants.