Euthanasia and related areas in the Netherlands in the viewpoint of criminal law

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25380087
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Criminal law
• Research Institution: Kagawa University
• Principal Investigator: Hirano Miki 香川大学, 法学部, 教授 (70432771)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 終末期医療 / 精神科患者 / 安楽死 / オランダ / 生命終結 / 精神医療 / 強制入院

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the Netherlands, when patients with physical illness and/or mental suffering request medical doctors to terminate the life, euthanasia under specific circumstances are legalized in the Dutch Criminal Law. The doctors should report it to the regional corner who check it and then the reports are examined by the regional euthanasia committee. Its background is very unique that the Netherlands has home doctor system and doctors know patients well for a long period and the right of patients are respected under the law. Not only euthanasia but also abortion is also discussed in the practical way and performed by doctors who also must report it to the different committee. We can learn the way how the patients’ right is respected and how they discuss and perform a kind of “taboo” in the Netherlands in many ways.

Free Research Field

医事法　刑事法