In total, 9,958 people died by euthanasia last year, a “significant” rise of 9% on 2023, according to new figures from regional monitoring committees (RTE).
The rise is partly due to ageing, but euthanasia accounted for 5.9% of all deaths last year, compared with 5.4% in 2023.
The RTE said it expects the upward trend to continue, but said explaining why this is the case is not part of its remit. “What is most important to us is that, in practice, euthanasia is carried out with due care,” RTE chairwoman Mariëtte Moussault told the NRC.
Just six cases last year were deemed worthy of reporting to the public prosecution department for possible criminal charges – all due to procedural errors.
Some 86% of euthanasia deaths last year were for physical problems, mainly cancer and diseases of the nervous system such as Parkinson’s, and 90% of those who died were over the age of 70. In 427 cases, the patient had dementia.
A total of 219 cases were due to one or more psychiatric problems, a sharp rise on the 2023 total of 138 but still just 2.2% of the total. Of these, 30 people were aged 18 to 30, one was aged 16 to 18, and the rest were older.
The rise in euthanasia among young adults has been a cause for concern in recent years, with several high-profile cases in the Netherlands making international headlines.
Last year, coalition party NSC called for an investigation into the growing number of requests for euthanasia from people with mental health problems – young women in particular. One case, involving a 17-year-old girl, led to a war of words between psychiatrists.
Couples
The RTE also registered 54 cases of two patients dying together. This year, for the first time, the agency said it had received reports of family members, rather than couples, successfully applying to die together.
To qualify for euthanasia in the Netherlands, the patient must be experiencing unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement. Two doctors must also be involved, and meet detailed criteria covering duty of care.
Requests for euthanasia because of mental suffering require a longer procedure to assess the seriousness of the affliction.
