Euthanasia endorsed in Dutch patient with dementia
BMJ 1999; 319 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.319.7202.75b (Published 10 July 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;319:75- Tony Sheldon
- Utrecht
A doctor in the Netherlands has not been prosecuted for helping an elderly patient with vascular dementia to die. The psychiatric patient was considered to have been competent to request assisted suicide and the procedure was judged to be medically and legally sound.
The facts were reported in a rare case history in a Dutch medical journal (Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 1999;143:17). Dutch law states that doctors can avoid prosecution for assisted suicide only if their patient has persistently made …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £164 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£30 / $37 / €33 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.