The confirmation that euthanasia has been performed on children under 12 in the Netherlands has reignited the ethical debate surrounding "dignified death."
While some countries are gradually expanding the scope of euthanasia, others are focusing on enhancing palliative care and support systems, seeking different solutions.
According to a report by the UK daily The Times on June 24, Dutch Health Minister Sophie Hermans recently informed Parliament that cases of euthanasia involving children under 12 were reported to regulatory authorities at the end of last year. However, specific details regarding the child's age, gender, and medical condition have not been disclosed.
This case marks the first confirmed instance since the Netherlands expanded its euthanasia laws to include children under 12 in 2024. Under the revised regulations, euthanasia is permissible if a child suffers from an incurable disease and experiences unbearable suffering, with no reasonable alternatives for relief. Parental or legal guardian consent is required for minors.
The Netherlands is one of the first countries in the world to legalize euthanasia. Since the 1970s, legal precedents have accumulated that do not penalize euthanasia, and in 2002, a legal framework was established to permit euthanasia for adults. The scope has gradually expanded, and it is now estimated that over 5% of all deaths in the country occur through euthanasia.
The expansion of euthanasia laws has also been seen in other countries. Belgium abolished its age limit for euthanasia in 2014, and since then, six cases of euthanasia involving minors under 18 have been reported, including a 9-year-old child with an incurable brain tumor and an 11-year-old child with muscular dystrophy.
Conversely, concerns about expanding euthanasia laws are growing in some countries. Canada legalized medical assistance in dying (MAID) for terminally ill patients in 2016 and expanded eligibility in 2021 to include individuals with irreversible conditions or disabilities.
However, reports have emerged of individuals choosing assisted dying due to socioeconomic factors such as poverty, housing instability, and lack of care, leading to increased controversy. Recently, a Canadian parliamentary committee recommended indefinitely suspending the allowance of MAID solely for mental illness.
Debate continues in the UK as well. A bill permitting assisted dying for terminally ill patients passed the House of Commons but was not completed in the House of Lords and was subsequently discarded. Labour MP Lauren Edwards has reintroduced a similar bill, which is set to be reconsidered in the House of Commons in September. The bill proposes allowing adults with a life expectancy of six months or less to self-administer a lethal drug.
In Taiwan, discussions have been sparked following reports of a patient with a severe hereditary neurological disorder traveling to Switzerland for assisted dying. However, the Taiwanese government has stated it will focus on enhancing palliative care, long-term care services, and patient autonomy rather than legalizing euthanasia.
Meanwhile, Uruguay legalized euthanasia through its "Dignified Death Law" last year, and Colombia has been implementing related procedures since a Constitutional Court ruling in 1997. In contrast, many Latin American countries, including Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, remain cautious about legalizing euthanasia, according to Yonhap News.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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