Redefining the Practice of Medicine

Euthanasia in Quebec

An Act Respecting End-of-Life Care (June, 2014)

Sean Murphy*

Full Text

Appendix "C": Statistics

• C1. Belgium

• C2. Netherlands

• C3. Oregon

• C4. Washington State

C1.  Belgium

The Belgian Act on Euthanasia of May 28th, 2002

Euthanasia was legalized in Belgium in 2002.  The following statistics refer only to reported euthanasia cases.

Note that there is no way to determine from the statistics provided how many times a physician acted as a consultant in different euthanasia cases throughout the year.  A single physician involved in three cases will appear here as three physicians.  Thus, the statistics here indicate the maximum number of physicians involved in reported cases each year, not the actual number of physicians participating.

Sources:  Commission Fédérale de Contrôle et d'Évaluation de l'Euthanasie Annual Reports

Sources: Commission Fédérale de Contrôle et d'Évaluation de l'Euthanasie Annual Reports; Eurostat: Licensed Physicians Per 100,000 Inhabitants; Eurostat: Population on 1 January- Belgium (Accessed 2014-07-16)

C2.  Netherlands

Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedures) Act

Euthanasia and assisted suicide were legalized in the Netherlands in 2002.  The following statistics refer only to reported euthanasia and assisted suicide cases.

Note that there is no way to determine from the statistics provided how many times a physician acted as a consultant in different euthanasia cases throughout the year.  A single physician involved in three cases will appear here as three physicians.  Thus, the statistics here indicate the maximum number of physicians involved in reported cases each year, not the actual number of physicians participating.

Sources: Regional Euthanasia Review Committees Annual Reports.  Note: *Includes physicians working in nursing homes.

Sources: Regional Euthanasia Review Committees Annual Reports; Statistics Netherlands: Health, lifestyle, health care use and supply, causes of death; from 1900.  Subjects: Care Supply, Health Professions. (Accessed 2014-07-16) Note: percentages of hospital and geriatric specialists and "other" is relative to the total number of medical specialists.  Overall percentage is in relation to total number of physicians.

C3.  Oregon

Death With Dignity Act: Physician Prescribers

Physician assisted suicide was legalized in Oregon in 1997.

Sources:  Oregon Public Health Division, 2013 Death with Dignity Act Report: Prescription History; Oregon Medical Board Reports.

C4.  Washington State

Death With Dignity Act: Physician Prescribers, Pharmacist Dispensers

Physician assisted suicide was legalized in the state of Washington in 2009.

Sources:  Washington State Department of Health, Death With dignity Act Reports; Washington State Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance, Health Professions Discipline and Regulatory Activities (2009-2011 Biennial Report); Washington State Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance Division, 2011-2013 Uniform Disciplinary Act Biennial Report.