A terminally ill 17-year-old in Belgium became the first minor euthanized after the country lifted age restrictions for voluntary euthanasia in 2014. The identity of the teenager and date of his or her death have not been released, though a Belgian official confirmed the euthanasia happened within the last week.
"Fortunately, there are very few children who are considered [for euthanasia], but that does not mean we should refuse them the right to a dignified death," said Wim Distelmans, head of Belgium's state euthanasia commission. Belgian law requires terminally ill children of any age to be conscious and possessed of "capacity of discernment" to request their own deaths, as well as permission from the minors' parent or guardian.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
