How legal euthanasia changed Belgium
Dr. Sc. Tom Mortier, PhD
In memory of my father and mother
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
•
What is euthanasia?
The euthanasia law in Belgium
Number of declared cases of euthanasia in Belgium
Euthanasia cases – examples
World Medical Association Resolution on Euthanasia
My personal story and how my mother died…
What is euthanasia?
Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending the life of a patient
Active euthanasia
when the doctor deliberately does something that
causes the patient to die
At the patient's own request = voluntary euthanasia
The euthanasia law in Belgium
Since 2002 Belgium allows people to be euthanased when they are suffering intractable and
unbearable pain
Belgium has one of the most liberal euthanasia-laws in the world together with the Netherlands
and Luxemburg
Belgium has become a living laboratory for radical social change
http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/how_legal_euthanasia_changed_belgium_for_ever
Number of declared cases of euthanasia in Belgium
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
235
349
393
429
495
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
704
822
953
1133
1432
98% of declared cases of euthanasia had been requested by a patient who was conscious
while in 2 % of cases it had been carried out on patients who were not conscious but who
had drawn up an advance directive
82 % of cases of euthanasia were declared in Flanders
25 % more declared cases of euthanasia in 2012 compared to 2011!
Source – The fifth report (2010‐2011) to the legislative chambers dawn up by the Federal Commission for Control and
Assessment of Euthanasia & http://www.ieb-eib.org/en/pdf/20121208-dossier-euthanasia-in-belgium-10-years.pdf
Euthanasia case in Belgium – example 1
Another speed bump for Belgian euthanasia
The euthanasia of a 44-year-old woman because of
unbearable mental suffering from anorexia nervosa
She accused her psychiatrist, Walter Vandereycken of having
had sexual relations with her
http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10388
Euthanasia case in Belgium – example 2
Belgian twins were euthanized because they had an eye disease and
risked becoming blind.
Belgian euthanasia: not such a big deal?
http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10363
http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10401
Euthanasia case in Belgium – example 3
Another double euthanasia in Belgium
90-year-old Leopold Dauwe and his 89-year-old wife Paula Raman were euthanased,
surrounded by their children and grandchildren.
The message on their memorial card.
"Together we walked the road. Together we left."
http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10580
Euthanasia case in Belgium – example 4
Belgian Nobel laureate dies through euthanasia
At the age of 95, Belgian Nobel laureate Christian de Duve was killed with a lethal injection. He
died in his home, surrounded by his four children.
http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10507
Euthanasia case in Belgium – example 5
First-world problems 2: I’m really not into the whole “turbo-euthanasia” thing
Dr Sarah Van Laer, who has euthanased 28 patients
since legalisation in 2002, has complained bitterly
to the Belgian newspaper De Standaard about the
burdens of her work.
http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10577
© Dessin Luc Tesson pour Alliance Vita & Croquis en Vrac
World Medical Association Resolution on Euthanasia
“Physicians-assisted suicide, like euthanasia, is unethical and must be condemned by the
medical profession. Where the assistance of the physician is intentionally and deliberately
directed at enabling an individual to end his or her own life, the physician acts unethically.
However the right to decline medical treatment is a basic right of the patient and the
physician does not act unethically even if respecting such a wish results in the death of the
patient.”
The World Medical Association reaffirms its strong belief that
euthanasia is in conflict with basic ethical principles of medical
practice, and
The World Medical Association strongly encourages all National
Medical Associations and physicians to refrain from participating in
euthanasia, even if national law allows it or decriminalizes it under
certain conditions.
http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/e13b/
Euthanasiastop.be
Why Euthanasia STOP ?
The law decriminalizing euthanasia in Belgium was passed in May 2002. This law creates
a framework for a patient to make a request for euthanasia and physician to access it,
under certain conditions, without committing a criminal offense.
Today, new legislative proposals to extend the scope of the law for minors, the insane ...
are being discussed in Parliament. Most political parties seem determined to see these
proposals of enlargement lead to conclusion.
This enthusiasm is not shared by all citizens.
© Dessin Luc Tesson pour Alliance Vita & Croquis en Vrac
My personal story
My father, dr. Hendrik Mortier (born on 01/04/1946), committed suïcide on December 20th 1981
My mother, Godelieva De Troyer (born on 08/01/1948) died on April 19th 2012 because of
voluntary active euthanasia without contacting her children
My parents wedding day in 1971
How my mother died
http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/how_my_mother_died
I would like to thank …
My wife and our three beautiful children
All the people who are supporting me in my journey
All the Belgian magazines who published my articles!
Belgian medical newspaper
http://www.artsenkrant.com/
Psychiatrie en Verpleging
http://www.fracarita.org/psychiatrie-en-verpleging
Tertio
http://www.tertio.be
Mediquality Actu
http://www.mediquality.net
and of course Dr. Paul Saba for inviting me to Montreal