Last year, more than 3,400 patients underwent euthanasia in Belgium. This number increased by 15 per cent compared to 2022, the Federal Control and Evaluation Commission for Euthanasia (FCEE) reported on Tuesday.
The Commission received 3,423 registration documents regarding euthanasia in 2023, meaning 3.1 per cent of all deaths in Belgium were the result of that. The vast majority (70.7 per cent) of patients were over 70 years old, and 42.1 per cent were over 80 years old. The number of cases of euthanasia in patients younger than 40 years remained very limited at 1.1 per cent.
Only one minor had the procedure in 2023, a sixteen-year-old girl who suffered from a brain tumour and donated her organs after her death. Euthanasia of minors remains rare in Belgium. The Commission confirmed five cases have been reported since the law was extended in 2014.
Most patients who chose euthanasia in 2023 had cancer (55.5 per cent), a combination of various chronic and incurable conditions (23.2 per cent) or nervous diseases such as ALS (9.6 per cent). Euthanasia due to psychiatric conditions, such as mood disorders, increased slightly but remained rather exceptional (1.4 per cent).
Cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, represented 1.2 per cent. While the majority of cases concerned patients who experienced both physical and psychological suffering, a small percentage were treated for psychological distress. For example, one cancer patient's physical pain was alleviated by painkillers, but they experienced deep psychological issues due to the loss of dignity and autonomy.
As far as the language divide, seven out of ten registration documents were in Dutch, compared to 29.2 per cent in French. The Commission states that this pertains to the language of the doctor, not specifically that of the patient. Nevertheless, it serves as an indication that euthanasia is more prevalent among Flemish individuals than among Walloons.
In nearly 80 per cent of cases, the doctor anticipated the patient's death in the near future. Most procedures in 2023 were performed at the individual's home, while the rest were conducted in hospitals, palliative units or residential care centres. Finally, the Commission notes that last year 110 patients who were abroad came to Belgium to have their request for euthanasia answered. These mainly involved patients from France, where active euthanasia is prohibited.