Dutch Hospital Practicing Infanticide In 2001, the Netherlands became the first (only?) country in the west to permit "mercy killings". The law only allows such killings in very particular circumstances - a doctor can terminate the life of a person who was in great pain and had no hope of recovery. In addition, the law requires the informed consent of the patient.   A hospital in the Netherlands has asked to dispense with that annoying part about consent - and the equally annoying part about pain.