Euthanasia for mental illness involves a physician intentionally ending the life of a patient who has requested euthanasia due to a psychiatric condition. The practice is legal in Belgium,[1] the Netherlands,[2] Luxembourg,[3] Spain[4] and Colombia.[5] In Canada, legislation authorizing the procedure was passed, but has since been repeatedly postponed.[6]
The practice is considered controversial as unlike with other types of euthanasia, a patient euthanized for mental illness alone is usually not terminally ill, and may have their decisional capacity impeded by their condition.[7][8][9] It is also considered more difficult with psychological conditions to determine an objective prognosis, or whether a disorder is irremediable.[10][11]
By country edit
Belgium edit
In Belgium, euthanasia for mental illness is legal if the patient is mentally competent to make the decision; the patient requests euthanasia on two separate occasions in writing; the patient is suffering from an incurable disease or mental illness, and all treatment options have been exhausted; and the patient is experiencing "unbearable suffering" from the illness, either physically or psychologically.[12] Three doctors must agree to grant euthanasia in psychiatric cases.[13][14] Euthanasia for mental suffering is not available for children.[15]
As of 2017, approximately 40 patients per year received euthanasia due to mental illness, out of approximately 2,000 total yearly euthanasia deaths.[15]
In 2020, a Belgium court acquitted three doctors, who had euthanized Tine Nys, a physically healthy 38-year-old woman with autism, of manslaughter charges.[16] Nys' sister Sophie Nys had filed a lawsuit alleging that the doctors did not properly attempt to treat her condition, and that Nys had not been incurably ill as the law required.[16]
Netherlands edit
Euthanasia for mental illness has been legal since 2002 in the Netherlands provided the patient has "unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement" and has requested to die in a way that is "voluntary, well considered and with full conviction", among other criteria.[17][18] In 2020, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands ruled that physicians could euthanize patients with dementia if they had expressed a wish to die before the onset of their condition.[19]
In 2023, 138 people in the Netherlands received euthanasia due to psychiatric conditions, a 20% increase from 2022.[20] The first minor euthanized for a psychiatric condition was in 2023.[20]
References edit
- ^ De Hert, Marc; Loos, Sien; Van Assche, Kristof (2023). "The Belgian euthanasia law under scrutiny of the highest courts". The Lancet Regional Health - Europe. 24. Elsevier BV: 100549. doi:10.1016/j.lanepe.2022.100549. hdl:10067/1925430151162165141. ISSN 2666-7762.
- ^ van Veen, SMP; Widdershoven, GAM; Beekman, ATF; Evans, N. (2022-06-20). "Physician Assisted Death for Psychiatric Suffering: Experiences in the Netherlands". Frontiers in Psychiatry. 13. Frontiers Media SA. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.895387. ISSN 1664-0640. PMC 9251055.
- ^ "Information on requesting euthanasia or assisted suicide". Guichet.lu. 2023-12-08. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ Ramos-Pozón, Sergio; Terribas-Sala, Núria; Falcó-Pegueroles, Anna; Román-Maestre, Begoña (2023). "Persons with mental disorders and assisted dying practices in Spain: An overview". International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. 87. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2023.101871. hdl:2445/195880. ISSN 0160-2527.
- ^ Kuntz, Leah (2022-01-10). "First Colombian With Nonterminal Illness Legally Dies via Euthanasia". Psychiatric Times. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ McCulloch, Craig (2024-02-09). "Canada Postpones Plan to Allow Euthanasia for Mentally Ill". Voice of America. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ Yasgur, Batya Swift (2023-08-03). "Clinicians Talking: Euthanasia for SMI -- Right or Wrong?". Medscape. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ Olié, Emilie; Courtet, Philippe (2016-08-09). "The Controversial Issue of Euthanasia in Patients With Psychiatric Illness". JAMA. 316 (6). American Medical Association (AMA): 656. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.9883. ISSN 0098-7484.
- ^ Lane, Charles (2016-10-19). "Europe's morality crisis: Euthanizing the mentally ill". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2016-12-02. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ Nicolini, Marie E.; Jardas, EJ; Zarate, Carlos A.; Gastmans, Chris; Kim, Scott Y. H. (2022-10-28). "Irremediability in psychiatric euthanasia: examining the objective standard". Psychological Medicine. 53 (12). Cambridge University Press (CUP): 5729–5747. doi:10.1017/s0033291722002951. ISSN 0033-2917. PMC 10482705.
- ^ Grassi, Luigi; Folesani, Federica; Marella, Marco; Tiberto, Elisa; Riba, Michelle B.; Bortolotti, Lisa; Toffanin, Tommaso; Palagini, Laura; Belvederi Murri, Martino; Biancosino, Bruno; Ferrara, Maria; Caruso, Rosangela (2022). "Debating Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Death in People with Psychiatric Disorders". Current Psychiatry Reports. 24 (6). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 325–335. doi:10.1007/s11920-022-01339-y. hdl:11392/2493393. ISSN 1523-3812.
- ^ "Dying with dignity: The story of euthanasia in Belgium". The Bulletin. 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ "it may have saved my life'". Sky News. 2020-08-24. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ Aviv, Rachel (2015-06-15). "Who Has the Right to Die?". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ a b "'What could help me to die?' Doctors clash over euthanasia". STAT. 2017-10-26. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ a b Peltier, Elian (2020-01-31). "Belgium Acquits Three Doctors in Landmark Euthanasia Case". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ "'Dying With Dignity': Dutch Mark 20 Years of Euthanasia". Voice of America. 2022-04-01. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ "Death on Demand: Has Euthanasia Gone Too Far?". Pulitzer Center. 2019-01-18. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ "Dutch court approves euthanasia in cases of advanced dementia". the Guardian. 2020-04-21. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ a b Ferrer, Isabel (2024-04-19). "Debate ignites in the Netherlands over rise in euthanasia for mental disorders". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 2024-04-21.