British Socialized HC Official: Some Premature Babies Should be Left to Die

[DefiantSix]

British Socialized HC Official: Some Premature Babies Should be Left to Die
Posted on March 7, 2011 at 12:53pm
by Jonathon M. Seidl

A prominent British health care official associated with the country’s socialized medicine agency NHS is set to make a disturbing admission in an upcoming documentary: she thinks premature babies born at 23 weeks gestation should be left to die. Why? Cost concerns.

“If it was my child, from all the evidence and information that I know, I would not resuscitate,” Dr. Daphne Austin says in the BBC program 23 Week Babies: The Price of Life, reports London’s Daily Mail.

She continues: “We are doing more harm than good by resuscitating 23-weekers. I can’t think of very many interventions that have such poor outcomes. For me the big issue is that we’re spending an awful lot of money on treatments that have very marginal benefit. I would prefer to free up that money to spend on providing support to people who have much more lifelong chronic conditions.”

In even more stunning comments, Austin says that while parents should get a say, in reality they don’t speak for the baby: “There’s a lot of emphasis on the parents’ views and what they want. But somewhere in there, there needs to be an advocate for the baby.” The Assumption seems to be the baby would rather die.

The mail says NHS spends about 10 million BPS, or over $16 million US, on treating babies born around 23 weeks, many of which either die or end up with birth defects.

Daily Mail LINK

First they came for the old bastards, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't an old fart;

Then they came for the preemies...

 

[Ralph Wiggum]

...There’s a lot of emphasis on the parents’ views and what they want. But somewhere in there, there needs to be an advocate for the baby...

That's called the parents, you nincompoop.

[Evil_Conservative]

If my daughter was born at 23 weeks, I don't think that meant she wanted to die.  Maybe she was just that anxious to get into this world.

Why are some people so negative?  My cousin's daughter was premature.  Born at 22 weeks, I believe.  Although her daughter was in NICU for many weeks, she is healthy now and does all the things that kid's in her age group do.  I bet most people wouldn't even be able to tell a premature and full-term baby apart.

[MrsSmith]

If my daughter was born at 23 weeks, I don't think that meant she wanted to die.  Maybe she was just that anxious to get into this world.

Why are some people so negative?  My cousin's daughter was premature.  Born at 22 weeks, I believe.  Although her daughter was in NICU for many weeks, she is healthy now and does all the things that kid's in her age group do.  I bet most people wouldn't even be able to tell a premature and full-term baby apart.

Evidently, then, this is something our healthcare system does better than the UK's.  Surprise, surprise...NOT.  Probably explains why most Canadian preemies are born here. 

[thundley4]

Evidently, then, this is something our healthcare system does better than the UK's.  Surprise, surprise...NOT.  Probably explains why most Canadian preemies are born here. 

It also explains why the US has a higher infant mortality rate than the UK.  We count the deaths of preemies and the UK ignores them.

[DefiantSix]

Purely annecdotal, but:

My son's best friend in school is a girl who, while I don't think she was as early as 23 weeks, comes awful close with how preemie she was.  She also is afflicted with the effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and a whole mess of bad things early in her childhood (she's been adopted by her paternal grandparents, and her mom was essentially laughed out of court by the judge when she tried to contest the adoption).

For all of that she is a bright, active 7-year old girl.  She's got her problems, but she's got a set of parents who love her, a set of coping skills that let her keep up with the rest of her classes, and friends like my son, who don't see her as any more or less "different" than any of her other classmates are.

I can well predict the rant I'd get if I were to show this article to her dad tomorrow, and for reasons like Andrea, this doctor disgusts me.