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Belgium’s Senate approves bill to legalise euthanasia for dying children

10:28 13/12/2013

In a controversial step, Belgium’s Senate voted 50-17 in favour of legalised euthanasia for terminally ill children. The bill must still pass in the Lower House before entering into law.

If approved, Belgium, one of the only countries in the world to permit doctor-assisted dying since 2002, would become the first country to allow any age group to resort to legal euthanasia, although the new measure would require parental consent.

Figures show that 10 to 15 terminally ill children in Belgium would choose to be euthanised each year.

If passed, the decision could fuel similar battles to legalise euthanasia in other countries around the world.

Though critics of the bill argue that safety measures for adults are not adequate, Belgian legislation states that candidates for euthanasia must suffer from a serious and incurable condition, with no hope of recovery, and be in a constant state of pain. 

Written by Andrew King