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Euthanasia Cases in Belgium Increased by 12.9% in 2019
On March 3, 2020 in Belgium, the Federal Control Commission for Evaluating Euthanasia (“CFCEE”) enumerated 2655 official cases of euthanasia in 2019; 12.5% more than the previous year. The majority of the individuals were aged 60 to 89, with 67.8% over age 70. Most...
Carmat’s Artificial Heart: Clinical Trials to Resume in France
The French company Carmat announced a few days ago that it has received permission to resume its clinical studies on artificial heart. The clinical trials on this device had been suspended in France following the death of a patient. Carmat has now been allowed to...
Germany’s Controversial Decision to Allow Assisted Suicide
On February 27, 2020, the Federal Constitutional Court in Germany overturned the legal ban which prohibited doctors or associations from “organizing” suicide, by declaring the 2015 law unconstitutional. In 2015, the German parliament (“Bundestag”) voted to prohibit...
Belgian Law on Euthanasia: Towards Even Easier Access
Last October in Belgium, a bill was tabled to extend the conditions permitting euthanasia. The State Council has voiced reserve on the bill’s three flagship measures. The validity of advance euthanasia directives would be extended from five years to an unlimited...
Portugal’s Parliament Pushes for Euthanasia
On Thursday, February 20, 2020, Portugal’s parliament approved five bills on euthanasia at the first reading. Submitted by several socialist parties, they were adopted at the first reading and will likely be combined into a single text before the final vote. These...
Midazolam for End-of-life Care at Home Needs Clarification
The recent update by the French High Authority for Health (“HAS”) on continuous deep sedation until death coupled with the announcement that Midazolam will soon be available on prescription in French pharmacies creates great confusion on the way to use this drug in a...
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