[Depenalized practice of euthanasia in Belgium: evolution from 2002 to 2005 and interpretation of the differences between the north and the south of the country]

Abstract

The euthanasia's performed, in accordance with the law of may 28, 2002, between September 22, 2002 and December 31, 2003 and between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2005 are respectively analyzed in two successive reports of the federal commission for control and evaluation of euthanasia, based on the registration documents referred by the physicians to this commission. The present paper compares the data of those two reports and analyses the evolution of the application of the law. Apart from the number of euthanasia's per year, much greater in 2004-2005, the statistical data are very similar. The important difference in the number of registration documents written in French and in Dutch, already noted in the first report, is confirmed in 2004-2005. An interpretation is proposed.