The German Medical Association spoke out against proposals for
young asylum seekers to undergo mandatory medical tests to ascertain their age.
They say the checks would be ethically wrong and unreliable. Tests such as
X-rays to make sure young migrants are not lying about their age were demanded
by conservative politicians. The issue became highly political after a 15-year-old was stabbed with a knife outside a shop
in the city of Kandel by an Afghan refugee who claims he is the same age. Some experts
believe many young male migrants lie about being under 18 to get better support
and housing.