The first case of child euthanasia in the Netherlands sparks debate over new legislation

The Netherlands has recorded for the first time a case in which a doctor ended the life of a terminally ill child, acting under a new law that allows euthanasia for children aged 1 to 12.

Public Health Minister Sophie Hermans announced the development in a letter addressed to the Dutch Parliament, confirming that the case has been assessed by a special committee set up to review euthanasia cases involving minors.

According to Hermans, the committee received the report on this case last year, held discussions with the doctor involved, and then forwarded its conclusions to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. That office is expected to decide whether the actions were carried out in accordance with the law, while the minister underlined that the committee’s position will carry particular weight in the final decision.

Authorities have not released details about the child’s identity, age, or the illness from which the child suffered.

The new legal framework for euthanasia for children aged 1–12 came into force in 2024 and allows the procedure only in extreme circumstances, when the child is experiencing unbearable suffering and there is no possibility of improvement. In such cases, parental approval is also required.

Official estimates show that around five children a year could fall under this legal framework, mainly in situations linked to severe congenital diseases or incurable conditions.

Before the legal changes, euthanasia in the Netherlands was allowed only for newborns and for children over the age of 12. For the 1–12 age group, only palliative care or the discontinuation of nutritional and medical treatment was предусмотрено.

This is considered the first known case of the implementation of the new legislation and is expected to trigger a broad public debate over the limits of medical intervention for terminally ill minor patients.