Dying With Dignity Via Euthanasia: 17-Year-Old Belgian Minor Granted First Doctor-Assisted Suicide

Belgium has granted the first doctor-assisted suicide to a minor, who is only 17-year-old. The teenager has reportedly been suffering from a terminal illness and sought the right to die after Belgium lifted its age restriction for euthanasia.

CNN reports that the doctor-assisted suicide was done a few weeks ago but details about the 17-year-old have been kept confidential. The European country's Federal Control and Evaluation Committee on Euthanasia stated that there have generally been quite a few minors seeking mercy killing but after reviewing the policies, lawmakers decided that euthanasia should not be denied to young people.

In 2002, Belgium made doctor-assisted suicide legal in the hopes of giving adults the most dignified death. But by 2014, the government removed the age restriction. However, minors wishing to die by euthanasia must have the complete consent of their parents and is only applicable to children suffering from an incurable disease, per Patients Rights Council. 

According to Euronews, Belgium remains the only country in the world to allow doctor-assisted suicide for minors, regardless of age. Since the country made euthanasia legal, there have already been 8,752 cases of mercy killing.

In the United States, only four states have made doctor-assisted suicide legal — California, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Certain states, such as Montana and New Mexico, have select counties allowing euthanasia, New York Times noted. CNN has compiled a separate historical timeline of how euthanasia laws have been enforced in some states in America.

Patients who long to have doctor-assisted suicide, should the time come, believe that this should be a basic right for humans with life-long, incurable and terminal illness. However, the teachings of the Church oppose euthanasia and this still remains a sensitive debate in many countries. According to Action Life, the arguments for and against euthanasia are as heated as debating on abortion.

Where do you stand on euthanasia? As a parent, would you consent to this, if it happens to your own family? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.