Current euthanasia laws dictate that patients must suffer from an incurable illness causing “unbearable” physical or mental anguish to qualify for euthanasia. However, the final verdict rests with the doctors, and it is here that the dilemmas arise.
The Numbers Speak: Netherlands Euthanasia
Of the approximately 60,000 people who opted for euthanasia in the Netherlands during the study period, Kingston University researchers found 39 of the 900 publicly released cases had autism or an intellectual disability. Almost half of these individuals were under the age of 50.
The motivations for seeking euthanasia were multifaceted, including mental, physical, and age-related issues, and in some cases, crippling loneliness. But the study identified eight individuals who attributed their sufferings solely to factors related to their intellectual disability, such as social isolation and an inability to adjust to changes.
Society’s Stand
Irene Tuffrey-Wijne, a palliative care specialist at Kingston University and one of the study’s main authors, voices a concern shared by many: “Is society really okay with this message, that there’s no other way to help them, and it’s just better to be dead?”
