Researcher Sergio Ramos Pozón reports declining euthanasia requests in Europe

University of Barcelona researcher Sergio Ramos Pozón presented findings to UNAM's bioethics program showing that de‑criminalising euthanasia has not increased the number of requests. In Switzerland the share of cases fell from 6.3 % in 2003 to 4.8 % in 2018, and in the Netherlands it dropped to 1.3 % in 2019 and remained at that level through 2023. Spanish data show a similar trend, even though the 2021 law governing medically assisted death imposes strict criteria – legal residency, age over 18, informed consent and a serious, incurable or debilitating condition – and places the decision under the review of two physicians and a guarantees commission.

Pozón also noted the professional burden on doctors and nurses and discussed the contentious issue of euthanasia for patients with mental disorders. He cited a Belgian review of 42 studies that argues mental suffering can be as disabling as physical illness, recommending case‑by‑case assessments.