March 21, 2025
Belgian Euthanasia Deaths Rise 17% in Past Year
Number of people choosing euthanasia has risen again: ‘The ageing population may play a role’ writes Arthur De Meyer.
The number of people choosing euthanasia has risen again in the past year.
In 2024, it involved 3,991 people, which is an increase of almost 17 percent. Experts do not know exactly what is causing the increase, although they do have a number of theories.
New figures from the Belgian Federal Euthanasia Review and Evaluation Committee (FCEE) show that the number of people requesting euthanasia rose again in 2024.
There were 3,991 requests, which is an increase of 16.6 percent compared to the previous year. In 2023, there was an increase of 15 percent compared to 2022.
One year earlier, the increase was 12 percent. So there has been an acceleration.
‘There is no clear explanation for this’, says Wim Distelmans, professor of palliative medicine (VUB) and chairman of the FCEE. ’We suspect that it has to do with the fact that the law is becoming better known year after year.
People are becoming more aware of what is possible. The ageing of the population may also play a role.’
Polypathology
An indication could be the reasons given. The most important is still cancer, at 54 percent.
The proportion of patients who cited ‘polypathology’ has increased significantly. ‘That’s what opponents call “age-related ailments”,’ Professor Distelmans adds.
In 2023, this was 23 percent of all cases. In 2024, it was already almost 27 percent. ‘These are ailments or conditions that would each be bearable for many people on their own.
However, when added together, they lead to unbearable suffering that seriously affects quality of life.’
Professor Wim Distelmans: ‘Euthanasia for psychiatric conditions remains rare. Just like euthanasia for people under the age of 40.’
It is not always about people with terminal illnesses. In 76.6 percent of all euthanasia cases, the patients were people who were ‘expected to die in the near future’.
Euthanasia among non-terminal patients is increasing, especially among the aforementioned group with multiple chronic conditions.
‘Euthanasia for psychiatric disorders remains rare. Just like euthanasia for people younger than 40 years of age.’ Fifty requests fell into the latter category. One of these involved a minor.
‘Since the expansion of the law in 2014, the total number of registered cases involving minors has risen to six,’ the FCEE report states.
Some 120 foreign patients also received euthanasia in our country.
Professor Wim Distelmans
Foreign patients too
For the first time, there are also figures on the number of foreign people who have travelled to Belgium for euthanasia. Between March – only then was anonymity lifted – and the end of last year, 120 foreign patients received euthanasia in our country. The majority of them were French: 106, or 88.3 percent.
‘We see that the number of patients coming from abroad for euthanasia is progressively increasing’
‘We see that the number of patients coming from abroad for euthanasia is progressively increasing,’ Professor Distelmans adds.
“Only in the Netherlands and Belgium is euthanasia also permitted for patients who are not terminally ill.”
Our legislation is therefore very unique. ’However, there are still gaps in the law regarding decisional competence.’
People who have suffered too much cognitive decline due to Alzheimer’s disease or other conditions are no longer allowed to receive euthanasia, even if you have had this recorded in a living will.
‘So now patients must indicate that their fear of developing dementia is “unbearable” before they develop dementia. So they receive euthanasia too soon. The law must be changed.’