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 in the Netherlands, which has seen a sharp rise in euthanasia cases.
Recently published figures released by Dutch officials revealed that 2024 saw a 10% increase in incidents of euthanasia. In total just under 10,000 people died as a result of euthanasia.
This means that over 5% of all deaths in the country are now the result of euthanasia. The figures have reached their highest level since euthanasia was legalised in 2002.
In the Netherlands people are permitted to end their lives if they are “suffering unbearably … with no prospect of improvement”. This arrangement also applies to those who have mental illnesses and are not terminally ill.
While the vast majority of euthanasia cases are still those who have terminal illnesses, the numbers committing medically assisted suicide due to mental illness is rising.
Last year 219 people opted for euthanasia because of psychiatric reasons, up from 138 in 2023. In 2010 only two people opted for death because of 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 should be consulted and a third medical opinion obtained before agreeing to euthanise a psychiatrically ill patient.
An RTE statement said, “The doctor must always call upon psychiatric expertise for these patients. The aim of this is for the doctor to be well-informed and to reflect critically on his or her own convictions.”
According to the RTE there were six cases of euthanasia last year which failed to follow the correct protocol. In one case a doctor permitted a woman with an obsessive-compulsive need to clean was killed without consulting a psychiatrist.
Concerns have also been raised about 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 young person with a still-developing brain definitely wants to die, that life is experienced as hopeless and without prospects, and that all treatments have already been carried out?”
Critics of the bill to allow 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 give approval for assisted suicide. Subsequently this was changed to a panel of experts. There are also concerns that there are not enough safeguards to protect those with mental illnesses and eating disorders.
