BRITISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SUGGESTS INFANTICIDE FOR DISABLED CHILDREN -- A British government official has sparked outrage by suggesting that children with disabilities should be killed. John Harris told a meeting of government officials that he saw no distinction between a late-term abortion and euthanizing a child with disabilities shortly after birth.

In his comments, made to a governmental committee looking at human technologies, Harris endorsed infanticide in cases of a child carrying a genetic disorder that remained undetected during pregnancy. "I don't think infanticide is always unjustifiable," he said. "There is a very widespread and accepted practice of infanticide in most countries." Harris, who is a professor of bioethics at Manchester University, would not respond to media queries about what types of disabilities should lead to infanticide or if he believes there is an age by which children should not be killed.

The remarks drew strong criticism from pro-life organizations. Julia Millington, political director of the Pro-Life Party, said, "Infanticide is murder and is against the law. It is frightening to think that university students are being educated by somebody who endorses the killing of newborn babies.
[http://www.lifenews.com/intl45.html, 27Jan04]

AUSTRALIAN EUTHANASIA ACTIVIST PROMOTES NEW "SUICIDE PILL"
Sydney, Australia (LifeNews.com) -- The man some call "Dr. Death" is now promoting his own euthanasia pill. Euthanasia campaigner Philip Nitschke, the founder of Exit Australia, says he has come up with a recipe for a pill that provides "peaceful suicide." But don't expect the recipe to appear in a handbook at your neighborhood pharmacy. The recipe is only available to members of Exit Australia.

The pro-euthanasia group has about 3,000 members, with an average age of 75. "We've been quite careful to make it clear that we won't be putting this on the Internet so people can kill themselves with no forethought," Nitschke told members of the news media. Legislation has been introduced outlawing the use of the Internet to promote suicide in Australia. [http://www.lifenews.com/bio338.html, 14Jun04]