Doctor uses pillow to 'euthanise' terminally ill woman in Belgium

A terminally ill Belgian woman, suffering from an incurable disease, was reportedly aided in ending her life using a pillow, as the previously administered lethal drugs failed to achieve the intended outcome. This information was revealed by Belgian media sources. According to reports from Sud Info and RTL, in March 2022, a 36-year-old woman residing in the Oupeye area of Liege decided to undergo euthanasia due to her deteriorating health caused by terminal cancer. Euthanasia, a legal practice in Belgium, involved a doctor and two nurses visiting the woman’s home, where she lived with her husband and young daughter. To avoid witnessing the passing of their beloved family member, the woman’s relatives left the premises. However, the process did not proceed as planned. The drug combination administered initially failed to bring about the desired outcome, leading the doctor to resort to using a pillow to gently end the woman’s life. A subsequent post-mortem examination revealed indications of suffocation, as reported by 7sur7. Belgian politician and doctor Jacques Brotchi expressed his views on the matter, stating, “What happened is not euthanasia. Such a definition of this terrible situation diminishes the significance of euthanasia, which is meant to provide a painless end to a person’s suffering.” As of 2023, euthanasia is legal in several EU countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Spain. It is currently in the process of becoming regulated in Portugal. In response to the incident, the partner and child of the deceased woman have filed a civil lawsuit against the medical professionals allegedly involved in the procedure that went awry, as reported by Sud Info. Renaud Molders-Pierre, the family’s legal representative, clarified that they are not seeking severe penalties but emphasized the importance of adhering to established regulations to prevent medical settings from turning into crime scenes. Serge Douin, speaking on behalf of the doctor at the center of the incident, explained via Sud Info that “the nurses were deeply distressed and reached out to my client, the doctor,” further noting that the doctor administered substances solely to alleviate the patient’s suffering. The case remains subject to ongoing investigation.