Ahead of the Third Reading of a bill to legalise assisted suicide in England and Wales, campaigners have raised concerns that the proposed law could have serious repercussions, noting the situation within the Netherlands, which has seen a pointy rise in euthanasia cases.
Recently published figures released by Dutch officials revealed that 2024 saw a ten% increase in incidents of euthanasia. In total slightly below 10,000 people died in consequence of euthanasia.
This implies that over 5% of all deaths within the country at the moment are the results of euthanasia. The figures have reached their highest level since euthanasia was legalised in 2002.
In the Netherlands persons are permitted to finish their lives in the event that they are “suffering unbearably … with no prospect of improvement”. This arrangement also applies to those that have mental illnesses and are usually not terminally unwell.
While the overwhelming majority of euthanasia cases are still those that have terminal illnesses, the numbers committing medically assisted suicide attributable to mental illness is rising.
Last 12 months 219 people opted for euthanasia due to psychiatric reasons, up from 138 in 2023. In 2010 only two people opted for death due to psychiatric issues.
The figures are so alarming that even Dutch officials have expressed concern. The Dutch regional euthanasia review committees (RTE) have said that doctors should exercise “great caution” with patients with psychiatric conditions, adding that a psychiatric specialist needs to be consulted and a 3rd medical opinion obtained before agreeing to euthanise a psychiatrically unwell patient.
An RTE statement said, “The doctor should call upon psychiatric expertise for these patients. The aim of that is for the doctor to be well-informed and to reflect critically on his or her own convictions.”
According to the RTE there have been six cases of euthanasia last 12 months which didn’t follow the right protocol. In one case a physician permitted a girl with an obsessive-compulsive need to wash was killed without consulting a psychiatrist.
Concerns have also been raised concerning the increase in people under 30 with mental illnesses asking to be euthanised.
Damiaan Denys, professor of psychiatry at Amsterdam University Medical Center, said, “How can one, at that age, determine with certainty that a youngster with a still-developing brain definitely desires to die, that life is experienced as hopeless and without prospects, and that each one treatments have already been carried out?”
Critics of the bill to permit assisted suicide in England and Wales have noted that the proposed law has watered down the safeguard provisions that were present at Second Reading.
A previous version of the bill required a High Court judge to present approval for assisted suicide. Subsequently this was modified to a panel of experts. There are also concerns that there are usually not enough safeguards to guard those with mental illnesses and eating disorders.
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