First-ever case of euthanasia on very young child, 2, was handled well: Dutch committee

The doctor who performed the Netherlands’ first case of euthanasia on a child under 12 did so with due care, the supervising committee concluded after investigating. The patient, a child of nearly 2 years who suffered from several severe medical conditions, died at the end of 2025.

This child was born very prematurely, at only 26 weeks of gestation. It quickly became apparent that the child had suffered severe brain damage, resulting in severe cerebral palsy and a visual impairment. This was compounded by frequent and severe epileptic seizures, which were largely unresponsive to medication. This left the child restless and unable to sleep for long periods. They also had mucus in their lungs, which made breathing and swallowing very difficult.

Given the cumulative effect of these conditions, it was clear that the child would not live to adulthood. The doctor also determined that their suffering could not be alleviated through medical treatment. The doctor and parents, therefore, decided to actively end the child’s life.

The committee concluded that the doctor acted with due care and made the right assessment. “All facets of ‘being human’ - regarding motor skills, behavior, and personality - were severely impaired and were not going to improve,” the committee said. “Despite all medical and non-medical interventions, the parents and the doctor observed no improvement in the child’s condition and were convinced that the child was suffering unbearably and without prospect of relief.” It added that the doctor strictly adhered to all due-care requirements.

The Netherlands changed its euthanasia law in 2024 to allow for euthanasia on children between the ages of 1 and 12 under very strict conditions. These include that the child must be experiencing hopeless and unbearable suffering, there must be no other reasonable solution, and the doctor must have at least one other independent physician assess the case.

When the law was expanded, the expectation was that euthanasia would be applied to young children no more than five times a year. So far, this was the first and only case.

Eduard Verhagen, a professor of pediatric palliative care at UMCG in Groningen, told RTL Nieuws that the committee’s ruling provides guidance for future cases. “It is good that the committee reached such a well-considered judgment. Many physicians and parents will benefit from this in the future.”

He added that euthanasia is always a difficult step for a doctor. “You aren’t trained for it, and there is a huge threshold to cross. Yet, sometimes you reach the point where you do cross that threshold. When you see that the suffering is so severe and realize there is no other reasonable way to end it - other than allowing the child to die - then, as a doctor, you are prepared to take that step. But it remains a difficult decision: difficult medically, but also emotionally. You need support from colleagues, as well as from a committee that—one hopes—will understand why you did what you did."

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) will now also assess this case. Verhagen expects the OM will follow the committee’s assessment and will not prosecute the doctor. "It is a complicated situation for a doctor. After all, he performed the procedure to end the life and then has to wait months to find out whether or not he will be prosecuted,” he told RTL. “It is a trying situation, and I hope that in the future, the timeframes for reaching a final decision will be shorter than they currently are."