First child under 12 euthanised in Netherlands after law change

A seriously ill child under the age of 12 has been euthanised in the Netherlands for the first time since the law was changed two years ago, Dutch health minister Sophie Hermans has confirmed. In a letter to parliament, Hermans said the child died last year but did not clarify their age, date of death or the illness they suffered, according to broadcaster NOS. The law, amended in 2024, extended euthanasia to children under 12 to allow them to “die with dignity” if there was no route to escape extremely severe pain or suffering. Previously, the procedure had only been permissible for newborns and children aged over 12. Under the rules, patients under 18 require the consent of a parent or guardian. Euthanasia is only allowed if a person is in a state of intolerable suffering with no realistic hope of relief, and it should be applied only in exceptional and extreme circumstances. When the law was changed, it was expected to apply to around five children every year. To proceed, a doctor must persuade the authorities that euthanasia is appropriate and that there is no humane alternative – a threshold that is extremely high when applying the legislation to young children. Hermans said the review committee has examined the case and spoken to the doctor involved. The committee’s judgment has been forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service, which must ultimately determine whether the doctor acted in accordance with the law. The recommendation of the review committee will be made public shortly, she explained. Government guidance states that “euthanasia is only allowed for patients whose unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement has a medical dimension”. It says termination of life is only allowed if a child is terminally ill and suffering unbearably with no prospect of improvement, meaning constant, severe pain with no cure and no reasonable alternative – even through palliative care. The decision is made together with the parents and, if possible, also with the child. In the UK, a bill to allow adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live to apply for an assisted death – subject to the approval of two doctors and an expert panel – will return to the House of Commons this September.