Physician-assisted suicides up in the Netherlands
Cases of euthanasia are reportedly on the rise in the Netherlands. A
total 6,091 cases were registered last year ? a 10% rise compared to 2015.
As reported by Dutch News online, euthanasia now accounts for 4% of
total deaths.
Meanwhile, the regional monitoring boards said the rules for euthanasia
were not followed correctly in 10 cases. Most of this involved a failure
to properly consult a second doctor. In one case, a doctor was
reprimanded for ?crossing the line? with a patient suffering from severe
dementia.
Of the total, 87% of assisted deaths involved people with cancer,
serious heart or lung problems or diseases of the nervous system such as
ALS. There were 32 more cases of assisted suicide involving people with
dementia.
In addition, there were 60 cases involving people with severe
psychiatric problems, a rise of four on 2015.
