Developments in euthanasia practice in the Netherlands: Balancing professional responsibility and the patient’s autonomy

Figures & data

Table 1. Opinions of physicians and the public about euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.^a

	KOPPEL (2010) Agree (%)		Third evaluation of the euthanasia law (2016) Agree (%)
Vignettes	Physicians	Public	Physicians	Public
Do you personally agree with euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide in a case of a patient with…
Cancer and loss of control, with severe pain	77	65	–	–
Cancer and loss of control, without physical symptoms	37	39	–	–
Old age and tired of living (completed life)	18	26	–	38
Severe depression	35	28	–	40
Early dementia and anxiety about the future	28	24	–	–
Advanced dementia, based on an advance euthanasia directive	33	85	–	83
In my opinion…
… euthanasia should be allowed for people who are tired of living, without having a severe disease.	–	21	–	–
… the oldest old should be able to get medications that enable them, if they want so, to end their lives.	–	36	–	51
… everybody should have a right to euthanasia.	28	57	–	67
… every human being has the right to determine his or her own life and death.	58	53	59	49

^a In the 2010 (KOPPEL) and 2016 (third evaluation of the euthanasia law) studies, questions were not always comparable; hence the table shows missing values.