Slight rise in euthanasia cases for Luxembourg

A total of 18 people in Luxembourg were euthanised between 2015 and 2016, explains a new report issued by the Commission for Control and Evaluation, regarding the law on euthanasia and assisted suicide in the Grand Duchy.

The statistics show that a total of 12 men and six women were euthanised during this period, a slight increase of the previous two years where 15 people were recorded.

Since the euthanasia law came into force in 2009, 52 patients in Luxembourg received assisted suicide treatment. For the latest report, the majority of those patients were over the age of 60 and 16 of them suffered from cancer.

Dr Carlo Bock, President of the Commission, stated that “euthanasia is complementary to palliative care” and that “no major abuses or difficulties have been observed in Luxembourg.”

Euthanasia in the Grand Duchy has been legal since 2009. There are strict conditions that must be met for it to be practised. In particular, the patient must be conscious at the time of the request and be in a medical situation without any cure and without the prospect of improvement.