Netherlands conducts first euthanasia on child under 12

The Netherlands has carried out its first euthanasia procedure involving a child under the age of 12, Health Minister Sophie Hermans confirmed in a report to parliament on Monday, June 22, 2026. The child, who was terminally ill, died toward the end of 2025.

The procedure was conducted under regulations introduced in 2024 that permit doctors to actively end the lives of children between one and 12 years old under strict conditions. The law previously applied only to newborns and children aged 12 and above. The minister did not disclose the child's age, sex, or specific medical condition.

The case was reported to a special review committee established to assess such procedures. That committee has reviewed the documentation and interviewed the doctor involved before forwarding its findings to the public prosecution service. Prosecutors will now determine whether the doctor complied with Dutch law, a decision expected to be made public soon.

Under the 2024 framework, euthanasia for a child in this age group is permitted only when a doctor determines the child is suffering unbearably from an incurable illness, that no reasonable treatment options remain, and that death is expected in...