In Belgium, a quarter of euthanasia cases involved patients without terminal diagnoses

According to the latest report from the Federal Commission for the Monitoring and Evaluation of Euthanasia, in 2025, one in four cases of euthanasia in Belgium involved people who did not have a terminal illness. The statistics indicate an increase in the number of such procedures and a broadening of the criteria for their application.

According to Belgian media reports, 4,486 cases of euthanasia were recorded in the country over the past year, accounting for about 4% of all deaths. Of these, 1,117 people (24.9%) did not suffer from illnesses that would have led to imminent death. This category included patients with chronic conditions, as well as people suffering from mental and cognitive disorders, including dementia.

Of particular concern is the fact that the majority of these patients were elderly, though there was also one teenager among them. The oversight commission demonstrated a high degree of leniency: 85.6% of euthanasia requests were approved at the very first meeting without the need for additional information. Experts note that since the procedure was legalized in 2002, the total number of euthanasia cases in Belgium has exceeded 42,000, and the removal of age restrictions in 2014 made it possible to extend this right to minors capable of making an informed decision.