State prosecutors in Belgium opened an inquiry last week after a doctor ended the life of an 87 year old woman who had dementia.
The inquiry started after the doctor, Marc Cosyns, published an article in the medical magazine Huisarts (“The Family Doctor ,” 9 Feb, pp 6-7) stating that he had ended the life of Suzanne Roegiest in January.
The doctor, who is a GP as well as a lecturer in end-of-life care at the University of Ghent, told the BMJ that he wanted to reignite the debate about extending euthanasia to people with dementia and children.
Belgium legalised euthanasia in 2002 (BMJ 2002;325:854). However, the current law requires patients to be in full possession of their mental powers before they can consent to euthanasia.
Recent legislation to extend euthanasia to patients who are legally incapable of expressing their will has stalled in the country's Senate.
Dr Cosyns said that Mrs Roegiest had asked in a “lucid” moment to be allowed to die and that he had given her a drink containing barbiturates.