# Euthanasia regulation and implementation in the Netherlands

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/euthanasia-regulation-and-implementation-in-the-netherlands
> Updated: 2026-09-28T09:27:26.000Z. Sources: 22. Developments: 3.

Dutch authorities have validated the first case of euthanasia for a child under the age of 12 following the expansion of the law in 2024. The case involved a child under two years old who died in late 2025 due to severe, incurable pathologies, including brain damage, cerebral palsy, and treatment-resistant epilepsy.

A review commission determined the physician acted with ‘due care,’ concluding that the child’s condition made survival into adulthood impossible and that no medical intervention could alleviate the suffering. The Commission for Late Abortion and Life Termination in Newborns and Children noted that the child’s motor abilities, behavior, and personality were severely altered with no prospect of improvement.

Further details indicate the child was born prematurely at 26 weeks and also suffered from visual impairments and respiratory and swallowing difficulties. While alternative palliative medications were attempted, they reportedly caused further side effects. Under current regulations, euthanasia for children aged 1 to 12 is permitted only in exceptional circumstances involving terminal illness and ‘hopeless and unbearable’ suffering where no other reasonable solutions exist. Parental consent is mandatory for the procedure.

A Dutch assessment committee confirmed that the attending physician followed all legal protocols, which included obtaining parental consent and seeking a second opinion from independent experts. While initial medical reviews suggested alternative palliative options, a subsequent assessment determined that the child’s suffering was unbearable and without prospect of improvement. The child’s developmental age was estimated to be only six weeks.

## Claims

- The Netherlands expanded its law in 2024 to allow assisted dying for children under 12 in specific, regulated cases. (disputed by 13 sources)
- The euthanasia took place in December 2025. (disputed by 3 sources)
- The Assessment Committee reviewed the circumstances of the euthanasia procedure. (corroborated by 16 sources)
- The child's developmental age was estimated to be that of a six-week-old baby despite being nearly two years old. (corroborated by 12 sources)
- The attending physician followed all legal requirements, including obtaining parental consent and consulting an independent doctor. (corroborated by 12 sources)
- The child was born prematurely at 26 weeks gestation. (corroborated by 12 sources)
- The child suffered from severe cerebral palsy and infantile epileptic spasms syndrome. (corroborated by 12 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-28: Netherlands confirms first euthanasia of a child under 12

The Netherlands has confirmed its first case of euthanasia for a child under 12 who was not a newborn. The nearly two-year-old child suffered from severe brain damage and incurable medical conditions.

17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/netherlands-confirms-legal-euthanasia-of-two-year-old-child

### 2026-09-14: Netherlands validates first euthanasia case for child under 12

Dutch authorities have approved the first euthanasia case for a child under 12 since law changes in 2024, involving a toddler with incurable, severe pathologies and unbearable suffering.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/netherlands-validates-first-euthanasia-case-for-child-under-12

### 2026-09-10: Netherlands: Long Covid cited in several euthanasia cases

Data shows long Covid was the primary reason for one euthanasia in the Netherlands in 2023, with several other cases in 2024 citing the condition as a contributing factor.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/netherlands-long-covid-cited-in-several-euthanasia-cases

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Cite as: Euthanasia regulation and implementation in the Netherlands. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/euthanasia-regulation-and-implementation-in-the-netherlands