A child under the age of 12 has become the first person in that age group to be euthanised in the Netherlands since the country extended its euthanasia laws two years ago.
Dutch Health Minister Sophie Hermans revealed the case in a letter to parliament, stating that the child died at the end of last year. No details about the child’s age, gender, or medical condition have been disclosed.
The Netherlands legalised euthanasia for terminally ill children aged between one and 12 in 2024.
Before the change, euthanasia was only available to newborns under specific circumstances and to children aged 12 and over.
The law permits the practice only when a child is suffering unbearably, has no prospect of recovery, and is expected to die in the foreseeable future. Parents must give their consent.
According to Hermans, the case was reviewed by a specialist committee responsible for examining all medically assisted deaths involving children. The committee has also discussed the case with the doctor involved and passed its findings to public prosecutors, who will determine whether the procedure complied with Dutch law.
When the legislation was expanded, Dutch authorities anticipated between five and ten cases involving children each year. However, no such cases had been reported until now.
The development comes amid continuing debate over euthanasia and assisted suicide both in Europe and beyond. The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalise euthanasia for people experiencing unbearable suffering from incurable illnesses when it introduced the practice in 2002.
Official figures show that as many as 10,341 euthanasia deaths were recorded in the Netherlands last year, representing a 3.8% increase compared with the previous year.
Approximately 85% of cases involved patients suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer or lung disease, while three-quarters were aged over 70. Euthanasia now accounts for around 6% of all deaths in the country.
In 2014, Belgium became the first country in the world in which euthanasia was available for all children. Around 4% of all deaths in Belgium are caused by euthanasia.
Critics warn that once euthanasia is legalised, the rules may gradually broaden, allowing more people to qualify for it than originally intended.
In Spain, the euthanasia of a 25-year-old woman known as Noelia earlier this year prompted controversy because her request was linked largely to psychological suffering rather than a terminal physical illness.
In the United Kingdom, Labour MP Lauren Edwards has revived legislation that would legalize assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was originally passed by the House of Commons last year, but was not passed by the House of Lords amid fears that vulnerable people could be pressured into asking to die.
