The Netherlands has crossed a significant new threshold in its end-of-life policy after a doctor deliberately ended the life of a severely ill child who was not yet 2 years old.
The case is the first reported termination of life involving a child between ages 1 and 12 since new Dutch rules governing such cases took effect in February 2024. A special review committee has now concluded that the physician acted with due care.
The child died near the end of 2025, according to Dutch reporting.
