What country first legalized euthanasia?
In April 2002, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia. If a physician in the Netherlands follows the strict legal requirements for committing voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide, the doctor will not be prosecuted. The basics requirements are as follows: • The patient must have already been in the doctor’s care for a period of time. • The patient’s suffering is unbearable, and she or he has no hope of recovery. • The patient makes a deliberate and voluntary request that she or he has discussed thoroughly with the doctor. • The doctor consults a colleague who agrees that these criteria have been met. Belgium became the second country to legalize euthanasia in September 2002. The Belgian law also lays out specific requirements for the doctor and patient, similar to the Dutch law. But
