Netherlands 2023 euthanasia report. A 20% increase in euthanasia for mental illness.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The 2023 Netherlands euthanasia report, that was recently released, indicates that the number of euthanasia deaths increased and the number of euthanasia deaths based on mental illness increased by 20%.

The Netherlands Times reported that there were 9,068 reported euthanasia deaths in 2023 which was up from 8,720 in 2022. There was also a 20% increase in euthanasia for psychological reasons in 2023 with 138 reported deaths.

The Netherlands Times refers to reported euthanasia deaths because studies indicate that approximately 20% of the euthanasia deaths are not reported.

Link to my article on the 2022 Netherlands euthanasia report (Link).

50% of the euthanasia deaths for psychological reasons are carried out by the Euthanasia Expertise Center (EE) euthanasia clinic. The (EE) received were more requests for euthanasia for psychological reasons from young people and approved more deaths for this age group. The Netherlands Times reported:

EE saw a significant increase in requests last year from young people with psychiatric issues. The center received 322 requests from people aged 18 to 30, which is over 50 percent more than last year. The RTE numbers showed that 40 requests for assisted suicide were granted to people 30 years old or younger.

The NL Times stated that euthanasia for psychological reasons accounted for 1.5% of all euthanasia deaths in the Netherlands in 2023.