Legal Euthanasia in Belgium

Characteristics of All Reported Euthanasia Cases

Bibliographic Data

ID9103368
AuthorsTinne Smets (0000-0003-1439-316X, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, corresponding author), Johan Bilsen (0000-0001-8371-4612, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, corresponding author), Joachim Cohen (0000-0002-7224-9476, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, corresponding author), Mette L Rurup, Luc Deliens (0000-0002-8158-2422, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, corresponding author)
Year2010
Volume48
Issue2
Pages187-192
Publication date2010-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
PublisherOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/mlr.0b013e3181bd4dde
PMID19890220
OpenAlexW2097832199
LanguageEN
Citations received13
References cited20

OBJECTIVES: To study the reported medical practice of euthanasia in Belgium since implementation of the euthanasia law. RESEARCH DESIGN: Analysis of the anonymous database of all euthanasia cases reported to the Federal Control and Evaluation Committee Euthanasia. SUBJECTS: All euthanasia cases reported by physicians for review between implementation of the euthanasia law on September 22nd, 2002 and December 31, 2007 (n = 1917). MEASURES: Frequency of reported euthanasia cases, characteristics of patients and the decision for euthanasia, drugs used in euthanasia cases, and trends in reported cases over time. RESULTS: The number of reported euthanasia cases increased every year from 0.23% of all deaths in 2002 to 0.49% in 2007. Compared with all deaths in the population, patients who died by euthanasia were more often younger (82.1% of patients who received euthanasia compared with 49.8% of all deaths were younger than 80, P < 0.001), men (52.7% vs. 49.5%, P = 0.005), cancer patients (82.5% vs. 23.5%, P < 0.001), and more often died at home (42.2% vs. 22.4%, P < 0.001). Euthanasia was most often performed with a barbiturate, sometimes in combination with neuromuscular relaxants (92.4%) and seldom with morphine (0.9%). In almost all patients, unbearable physical (95.6%) and/or psychological suffering (68%) were reported. A small minority of cases (6.6%) concerned nonterminal patients, mainly suffering from neuromuscular diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of reported euthanasia cases has increased every year since legalization. Euthanasia is most often chosen as a last resort at the end of life by younger patients, patients with cancer, and seldom by nonterminal patients

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