Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director,
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Bruno Waterfield reported for The Times on March 24 that:

The number of young people in psychological distress being offered lethal injections has caused growing controversy in the Netherlands.

The 2024 euthanasia statistics that were recently released indicated that there were 9958 reported euthanasia deaths in the Netherlands which was up by 10% from 9068 in 2023.

It is concerning that there were 219 psychiatric euthanasia deaths in 2024 which was up from 138 in 2023 and 115 in 2022. That represents an almost 60% increase in psychiatric euthanasia deaths in 2024 and a greater than 90% increase since 2022.

Waterfield reported:

There is concern that growing numbers of suicidal people, especially young people, are asking for help to die. Last year, there were 219 reports of euthanasia after psychological suffering, up by almost 60 per cent from 138 the previous year. In 2020 there were just 88.

Of the cases last year, 30 people were under 30 when they died. In 2020, that number was five.

Waterfield reported that Jeroen Recourt, the president of the RTE, a body comprising five euthanasia oversight committee’s stated:

“Are we still doing this right?”

“I welcome social debate on euthanasia due to mental suffering in young people.”

Waterfield reported on one of the young people who died by euthanasia based on psychological suffering:

“The young man described his life as ‘luckless’. He felt very lonely, was deeply unhappy and did not enjoy anything. He could not connect with peers and society, and felt misunderstood,” said the committee, noting a previous suicide attempt. The boy’s parents were consulted in the euthanasia process, although “his relatives and care had tried for a long time to change his mind, without success”.

“The doctor was convinced that the young man’s suffering was hopeless. He did not expect current and any future treatments would improve the quality of life. The young man’s death wish was expected to continue, with a high probability that he would make another suicide attempt if his euthanasia wish was not honoured.”

The euthanasia report indicated that there were 6 concerning cases. Waterfield reported:

Only six cases referred by oversight committees as in breach of rules, mostly involving bungled lethal injections, with too long a gap between the induction of a coma and the deadly drug that stops the patient’s breathing.

One case involved an elderly woman suffering from a mental disorder that made her see faeces everywhere and cause her to clean obsessively who was not referred to an independent psychiatrist. Another elderly woman, in this case with with Parkinson’s disease, “may no longer have felt free to still abandon her choice of euthanasia”. 

I am concerned about the subtle coercion with euthanasia. I know of a Netherlands euthanasia death of an elderly couple where one of the partners was dying and the other was encouraged to die with the partner. 

How is it free consent when there is subtle coercion involved?

More articles:

• Britain must learn from the Netherlands experience with assisted dying (Link). 
• Netherlands euthanasia (homicide) death of 22-year-old averted at the last minute (Link). 
• Netherlands euthanasia death of 17-year-old criticized (Link) 
• Landmark study: Assisted suicide deaths for eating disorders (Link).
• Netherlands assisted suicide group leader found guilty of distributing suicide drugs (Link). 
• Why are the Dutch euthanizing young healthy women? (Link). 
• Netherlands 2023 euthanasia report. A 20% increase in euthanasia for mental illness. (Link).