DutchNews.nl - Legal euthanasia has not led to more cases in the Netherlands

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Legal euthanasia has not led to more cases in the Netherlands

Wednesday 11 July 2012

The introduction of legalised euthanasia in the Netherlands has not led to an increase in the number of cases according to a team of Dutch university researchers, writing in The Lancet magazine.

While there was a slight decrease in the years after euthanasia was made legal in 2002, assisted suicide has now returned to pre-legalisation levels of around 2.8% of all deaths, the researchers from four Dutch teaching hospitals and the national statistics office CBS found.

And while opponents of euthanasia had warned the legislation would lead to a sharp rise in involuntary euthanasia among terminally-ill patients, there has actually been a reduction in this sort of deaths, professor Bregje Onwuteaka-Philipsen from Amsterdam's VU university told the Volkskrant.

Based on interviews with 6,000 doctors and research into 7,000 deaths, the team found just 300 cases of euthanasia where the patient had not given explicit consent in 2010, compared with around 1,000 in the years prior to legalisation.

Openness

'This is probably because there is more openness and doctors talk to their patients at an earlier stage,' Onwuteaka-Philipsen told the paper.

The researchers also found some 600 people forced an end to their own lives in 2010 by stopping eating and drinking. In around half of these cases, euthanasia had been refused.

Euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands under strict conditions. For example, the patient must be 'suffering unbearably' and the doctor must be convinced the patient is making an informed choice. The opinion of a second doctor is also required.

Should euthanasia be legal? Have your say using the comments form below.

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Readers' comments (4)

1 yes it should exist
2 the rules are too narrow - when a person is so afflicted that they cannot communicate, they are forced to suffer.
My daughter drowned some years ago and was in a vegetative state, she had constant epileptic fits and he body was bent out of any description due to the brain malfunction. She was in severe pain but we as parents could not make the choice for her.

By nd | July 11, 2012 11:21 AM

I work at a place where this occasionally occurs.
90% of the time it's the rules that deny someone's personal wishes for leaving the body. You can write your will down, make statements to all family members for years but when the criteria meets your standards for leaving...those who decide are too eager to dismiss or bring up concepts that deny physical death.
No one is on Earth to decide for another. Each and everyone here has the responsibility to decide for self.
Yes, there are exceptions. There always are.
Love is the answer, always has been.

Perspective

By Perspective | July 11, 2012 2:55 PM

Yes, everyone should have the right to go out when the pain of goin on out- weighs the pain of going out. I believe that here in the U.S. its about 80% money as everyone gets paid as long as they can keep you tubed up and the other part is pure selfishness on the siginificant other in the mistaken belief that they are doing good. Does anyone stop to think about what the patient feels? And would you want to trade places with them? No, well then let us go and we will be forever thankful to you.
Thank you for listening and have a nice day

By jake | July 11, 2012 4:21 PM

@nd: So sorry about your daughter :( That must have been terrible. My ex-colleague lost his son in similar circumstances. All the best to you.

By Stupid | July 11, 2012 11:18 PM