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24 Issues L. & Med. 187 (2008-2009)
Euthanasia Policy and Practice in Belgium: Critical Observations and Suggestions for Improvement

handle is hein.journals/ilmed24 and id is 197 raw text is: Euthanasia Policy and Practice in Belgium: Critical Observations and Suggestions for Improvement Raphael Cohen-Almagor, D.Phil.' ABSTRACT: The essay opens with some background information about the context of euthanasia in Belgium. It proceeds by discussing the Bel- gian law on euthanasia and concerns about the law, its interpretations and implementation. Finally, the major developments and controversies since the law came into effect are discussed. Suggestions as to how to improve the Belgian law and circumscribe the practice of euthanasia are made, urging Belgian legislators and the medical establishment to reflect and study so as to prevent potential abuse of vulnerable patients. This article investigates and discusses the practice of euthanasia in Belgium. Its methodology is based on critical review of the literature supplemented by inter- views I conducted in Belgium with leading scholars and practitioners in February 2003 and February 2005. The interviews were conducted in English, usually in the interviewees' offices. The interviews were semi-structured. I began with a list of twenty-four questions (see Appendix), but did not insist on answers to all of them if I saw that the interviewee preferred to speak about subjects that were not included in the original questionnaire. The length of interviews varied from one to two and a half hours. Professor and Chair, University of Hull; author, THE RIGHT TO DIE WITH DIGNITY: AN ARGUMENT IN ETHICS, MEDICINE AND LAw (2001), EUTHANASIA IN THE NETHERLANDS: THE POLICY AND PRACTICE OF MERCY KILLING (2004); and THE SCOPE OF TOLERANCE (2006); editor, MEDICAL ETHICS AT THE DAWN OF THE 211 CENTURY (2000); D.Phil., Oxford U., 1991. 1 thank J. Berre, Luc Deliens, Pierre-Frangois Laterre, Freddy Mortier, Guido Van Steendam and Jean-Louis Vincent for their time and cooperation, to Wim Distelmans, Veerle Provoost, Jan Jans, Lawrence J. Schneiderman and the four referees of Issues in Law and Medicine for their constructive comments, and to Charles Sprung, Sigrid Sterckx and Etienne Vermeersch for their kind assistance. Unless said differently, all websites were last accessed on Janu- ary 12, 2009. Keywords: euthanasia, Belgium, autonomy, dignity, National Evaluation and Control Commission for Euthanasia, palliative care.

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