Approving or Denying Requests for Physician-Assisted Suicide in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, terminally ill patients can apply for approval to pursue euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide, but data are sparse on the reasons for granting or denying approval. Most decisions are made by patients' primary physicians in accordance with the following “due care criteria”:

• The physician believes the patient's request is well considered.

• The physician believes that the patient's suffering is unbearable and will not improve.

• The physician has informed the patient fully about his or her prognosis.

• No reasonable alternatives exist.

• The physician has consulted at least one other independent physician.

In this study, researchers assessed the outcomes of 645 requests for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide that were made dur…