Premature Baby Denied Treatment in UK, Dies Two Hours Later

For those who mock the idea of death panels and the belief that government run health care will result in increased deaths due to apathetic detached bureaucrats who put more importance on the bottom line than they do human life, behold the government run health care in Great Britain. Jayden was born two days before his 22 week of gestation.

He was denied any treatment and left to die. The doctors were prohibited from treating him based on NHS regulations; however, if he had been born two days later, the doctors would have been allowed to help him survive:

Miss Capewell, 23, said doctors refused to even see her son Jayden, who lived for almost two hours without any medical support.

She said he was breathing unaided, had a strong heartbeat and was even moving his arms and legs, but medics refused to admit him to a special care baby unit.

…

In fact, the medical guidelines for Health Service hospitals state that babies should not be given intensive care if they are born at less than 23 weeks.

The guidance, drawn up by the Nuffield Council, is not compulsory but advises doctors that medical intervention for very premature children is not in the best interests of the baby, and is not ‘standard practice’.

James Paget Hospital in Norfolk refused to comment on the case but said it was not responsible for setting the guidelines relating to premature births.

A trust spokesman said: ‘Like other acute hospitals, we follow national guidance from the British Association of Perinatal Medicine regarding premature births.’

Miss Capewell, who has had five miscarriages, said the guidelines had robbed her son of a chance of life.

Jayden could have survived. Babies have been born at 21 weeks and lived. The midwife described him as a “little fighter.” He was breathing on his own and had a strong heartbeat.

But because of the guidelines put in place, doctors didn’t even try to save him. They left him to die.

Someone please explain to me how providing help is not in the best interest of the baby, but dying is? I suppose a liberal could argue that it would be better for the baby to die than to face a life filled with complications and struggles because of the premature birth, but that’s nothing more than the opinion of a panel of nameless, faceless government employees.

The doctor should not be advised to let patients die, regardless of the age. Behold the mercy of government run healthcare. Remember this story while listening to the president tonight. Remember it because the president, when given the chance, refused to vote in support of providing healthcare to babies born in botched abortions.

He voted to let them die.