An increasing number of people are choosing euthanasia each year in Belgium, a trend linked to demographic changes and an ageing population, De Standaard reported on Tuesday, citing a study published in the specialised journal Jama Network Open.
Euthanasia has been legal in Belgium since 2002, but only for patients suffering unbearably due to illness or injury with no viable treatment options.
Patients must request euthanasia voluntarily and repeatedly. In the law’s first year, 23 people requested euthanasia. The following year, 236 terminally ill patients sought it. By 2023, 3,991 patients were euthanised.
Researchers note that the increase in the first 15 years was mainly due to the law’s incorporation and normalisation. Since 2017, the rise appears primarily driven by the ageing of the population.
Most euthanasia cases involve cancer patients, followed by individuals with multiple age-related conditions. Euthanasia in dementia patients remains limited.
