| ISSUE SUMMARY |
| Disabilities Ethical History International Medical Psychological Religious |
Australia Euthanasia advocates work to make suicide easy. Belgium Canada England Germany Netherlands Killing Babies, Compassionately. The Netherlands follows in Germany’s footsteps. Seduced by Death: Doctors, Patients, and Assisted Suicide The Slippery Slope: The Dutch Example New Zealand Switzerland Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in Switzerland Assisted-Suicide in Switzerland |
Netherlands Summary SummaryAlthough euthanasia has been permitted in the Netherlands since 1973 by various court decisions, it was officially codified in 2001. In order to be legal, euthanasia must be performed according to “careful medical practice” guidelines. Requests for euthanasia must be voluntary, well considered and persistent, and be made by patients who are experiencing unbearable suffering without hope of improvement. There is no requirement that the patient be terminal, and courts have declared that the patient’s unbearable suffering may be purely psychological, rather than physical. More than one physician must be involved in the decision, and both patient and physician must agree that euthanasia is the only reasonable option. Minors between the ages of 12 and 18 may request and receive euthanasia or assisted suicide provided their parents consent to it. All cases of euthanasia must be reported to and evaluated by regional committees composed of a lawyer, physician and an ethicist/philosopher. Acts of euthanasia and assisted suicide will be lawful if performed by a physician who has complied with the guidelines and reported to the coroner. The coroner must send his or her report to the Public Prosecutor, as well as to the regional euthanasia committee. The report must demonstrate that all the requirements for legal euthanasia have been met. In the event of a significant violation of the guidelines, the prosecutor will not give consent for burial or cremation until further investigations have been conducted. The law also provides for an advance declaration authorizing euthanasia should the patient later become incompetent. Posted on June 26, 2004. |