Netherlands Conducts First Euthanasia on Child Under 12, Sparking Global Debate

It has been confirmed that euthanasia was performed on a child under the age of 12 in the Netherlands late last year, marking the first such case since the relevant regulations were amended.

Beyond euthanasia for children and adolescents, reports of individuals choosing assisted dying due to reasons such as poverty and a lack of care have further fueled controversy over bioethics.

According to the British daily The Times on June 23 (local time), Dutch Health Minister Sophie Hermans recently stated in a letter to parliament that the oversight committee had been notified of the case.

She did not disclose specific details such as the child's age, name, gender, place of residence, or medical condition.

In 2024, the Dutch parliament approved an expansion of the scope of euthanasia regulations to include children under 12 who suffer from unbearable pain or distress due to an incurable illness, provided there is no reasonable alternative to alleviate their suffering.

Prior to this, euthanasia was permitted only for newborns and individuals aged 12 and older.

For those under 18, the consent or consultation of parents or legal guardians is required.

In the Netherlands, legal precedents that do not treat euthanasia as a crime have been accumulating since the 1970s, and the scope of permission has gradually expanded since the legal basis for adult euthanasia was established in 2002.

Currently, euthanasia accounts for just over 5% of all deaths in the Netherlands.

However, the debate surrounding euthanasia, also referred to as "assisted dying" or "medical assistance in dying," continues.

Belgium abolished the age limit for euthanasia in 2014, and it is reported that there have been six cases of euthanasia involving children under 18 since then.

These cases include a 9-year-old child with an incurable brain tumor and an 11-year-old child with muscular dystrophy.

In the United Kingdom, a bill to allow assisted dying for terminally ill adults passed the House of Commons but was scrapped in the House of Lords following the end of the parliamentary session in May of this year.

Labour MP Lauren Edwards has re-introduced a similar bill, and the House of Commons is scheduled to discuss it again on September 11.

The bill would allow mentally competent adults with a life expectancy of six months or less to self-administer life-ending substances.

Canada legalized medical assistance in dying for terminally ill patients in 2016 and expanded the eligibility in 2021 to include people with incurable diseases or disabilities, even if they are not in a terminal state.

However, controversy has grown as cases have been reported where individuals chose assisted dying due to poverty, homelessness, or a lack of care.

In response, a Canadian parliamentary committee recently issued a recommendation to indefinitely exclude the allowance of medical assistance in dying based solely on mental illness.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.