Belgium Euthanizes Child for First Time After Lifting Age Limits

Belgium legalised euthanasia in 2002.

Since 2014, when its euthanasia legislation was amended, Belgium has been the only country in the world that allows terminally-ill children of any age to choose to end their suffering – as long as they are conscious and capable of making rational decisions.

The minor, whose age was not disclosed, had been suffering from a terminal illness, the Belgian newspaper, Het Nieuwsblad, said.

The Netherlands also allows mercy killings for children, but only for those 12 and over.

Wim Distelmans, who heads Belgium’s Federal Control and Evaluation Committee on Euthanasia, did not release details about the patient but said it was an exceptional case of a teen with a terminal illness reported by a local doctor, according to the Guardian.

To be permitted doctor-assisted death, Belgian law states that children must be “in a hopeless medical situation of constant and unbearable suffering that can not be eased and which will cause death in the short term”.

The patient’s parents are also required to consent.

Despite objections by religious leaders and some doctors, who questioned whether children should be allowed to make such a hard choice, an opinion poll taken a few months before parliament voted for the change suggested that 75 per cent of Belgians supported it.

The country’s euthanasia age restrictions were lifted in 2014 following heated debate over the issue.

Between 2003 and 2013, the number of patients being euthanized in Belgium rose almost eight-fold to a total number of 8,752 cases, according to the national euthanasia control committee. In Canada, doctor-assisted dying was passed only this year.

Where is assisted dying permitted? Individuals have the option under state law in Oregon, Vermont, Washington and California. Luxembourg and Colombia are the only other countries that allow euthanasia, but only for adults.