2024-08-05 16:09:18
Each case is studied individually to ensure that the decision has been made voluntarily and without being influenced.
A piece of news stunned the Dutch last week. The former Catholic Dutch Prime Minister, Dries van Agt, and his wife Eugenie Krekelberg They died together through joint euthanasia. They were both 93 years old. They chose to die by what is known as “duo euthanasia,” a growing trend in the Netherlandswhere in recent years several couples have been granted their wish to die at the same time, usually by administering a lethal dose.
This practice is on the rise in the country. And now Dutch law includes a detailed assessment of each individual case to ensure that the spouses act voluntarily and there is no influence.
“Until death do us part”. The news came as a surprise to Dutch society, mainly because Van Agt was a Catholic and a CDA politician. His health was deteriorating And in 2019, after suffering a stroke, he already hinted at his decision: “Euthanasia is an option if living and suffering become unbearable.” The health of his wife, whom he always referred to as his “girl,” was also deteriorating. And, although they were both very ill, “they couldn’t live without each other.”
Doctors accepted their dual request because they met the requirements of the country’s Euthanasia Law. “Honestly, I feel that it is a beautiful thing that they have lived their life together, that they are both seriously ill with no chance of getting better, that they are ready to go and would like to go together,” explained Maria Carpiac, director of the gerontology program at California State University, in This article from The Washington Post.
The tendency. Although couples still represent a small percentage of all euthanasia deaths (8,720 cases), Fransien van ter Beek, who chairs the pro-euthanasia foundation NVVE, says that many people are expressing this desire more and more. In fact, euthanasia as a couple first came to the attention of politicians when all cases were reviewed in 2020, when 26 people were granted euthanasia at the same time as their spouses. The figures rose to 32 the following year and 58 in 2022.
Elke Swart, spokesperson for the Expertisecentrum Euthanasie, which grants the euthanasia wish of around 1,000 people a year in the Netherlands, points out that requests for assisted dying from any couple are subjected to strict requirements tests individually and not together“It is too much of a coincidence that two people are suffering unbearably with no prospect of relief at the same time… and both want euthanasia.”
What the law says in the Netherlands. The Dutch Euthanasia Law is a model to follow in this area, being a pioneer in the world. Both euthanasia and assisted suicide have been legal in the Netherlands since 2002. for six conditions, including unbearable suffering, no prospect of relief and an independent and prolonged wish to die. The difference between the two is that assisted suicide is when a person self-administers a lethal dose while a doctor is present, while euthanasia is when a medical professional administers the dose.
However, it is still considered an exceptional practice, and not a patient’s right, and can lead to up to 12 years in prison if the legal requirements are violated. To be eligible for euthanasia Two physicians must be involved and meet detailed criteria that cover the duty of care. In the case of euthanasia as a couple, two separate applications must be made, both of which must go through the same process. Both partners are interviewed separately, so that the experts assessing the application can be sure that the decision is voluntary.
The death of one affects the health of the other. Some studies suggest that older people are at higher risk of dying after losing their spouseespecially in the first few months after their death. While the cause of this phenomenon is unclear, Some research indicates that there is scientific evidence that those who endure “grief” have higher rates of inflammation and a higher risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke, often due to stress-induced changes in blood pressure, heart rate and blood clotting.
And in Spain? In our country, the law came into force more than two years ago. Organic Law 3/2021 on the Regulation of Euthanasia (LORE)which establishes the right to request and receive the necessary assistance to die, fulfilling certain requirements such as suffering from a “serious and incurable disease” or “a serious, chronic and disabling condition.” According to data from the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity (DMD), between June 2021 and December 2022, 370 people resorted to euthanasia in Spainin addition to more than 1,000 applications having been registered.