Dutch euthanasia reports reveal rising demand and pressure on physicians

A joint study by Radboudumc, UMC Utrecht and Amsterdam UMC examined the steep increase in euthanasia cases in the Netherlands. The Regional Euthanasia Assessment Committees recorded over 10,000 reports in the previous year, up from around 2,000 in 1999, meaning euthanasia now accounts for about 6 % of all deaths. Researchers found that societal attitudes toward end‑of‑life care have shifted, with more requests arising from conditions such as dementia and mental illness rather than solely cancer.

Physicians report growing moral, emotional and time‑intensive burdens as patient and family expectations rise. The study warns that pressures on the health‑care system – staffing shortages and funding cuts – may further fuel euthanasia requests and could make doctors more reluctant to comply. The findings were submitted to health minister Sophie Hermans for consideration of possible policy responses.