Call for Belgium to revise euthanasia legislation
Doctors and ethicists protest "death as therapy". Although legalised euthanasia is widely accepted amongst Belgian doctors and politicians and a pet cause of the media,...
Not enough doctors to staff Belgium’s euthanasia commission
Belgium’s Federal Evaluation and Control Commission for Euthanasia has lost its mandate after failing to find replacements for vacancies on its executive committee. Belgium’s Federal...
Supervision of euthanasia breaking down in Belgium
The theme of control is at the heart of debates about assisted suicide and euthanasia. For the patients, it’s control of their own lives. For...
Euthanasia for unbearable mental suffering in Belgium
Euthanasia in Belgium is an increasingly popular subject for documentaries. The latest comes from Dateline, a program of Australia’s SBS network. (See the video below)....
Scores of depressed patients euthanised in Belgium
A new study claims that vague terminology in Belgium’s assisted dying guidelines is allowing for scores of psychiatric patients to be euthanised. A new study...
Mixed signals from Netherlands and Belgium about euthanasia
One in 20 deaths in Flanders is from euthanasia There is good news and bad news about euthanasia from the Netherlands and Belgium in JAMA...
Belgian psychiatrist deregistered over abuse
A Belgian psychiatrist who sexually abused a patient who subsequently sought euthanasia has been deregistered. A Belgian psychiatrist who sexually abused a patient who subsequently...
Belgium grants prisoner’s request for euthanasia
A decision which raises many questions. Frank Van Den Bleeken A man serving a life sentence for rape and murder has been allowed by...
Nutrition and hydration often withdrawn without consent in Belgium
A recent study in the Journal of Medical Ethics has found that in Belgium decisions to withdraw artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) rarely involve patient...
Child euthanasia law expected this week in Belgium
But the bill has been condemned by members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Note: an earlier edition of BioEdge misrepresented a...
Belgium take first step towards euthanasia for children
A bill to legalise euthanasia in Belgium for children and for patients with dementia passed its first legislative hurdle this week. A bill to legalise...
Belgium’s “Pope of euthanasia”
One of the leading figures in the euthanasia debate is Belgian oncologist Wim Distelmans. Because of the language barrier, he is an unfamiliar figure in...