With the Grand-Duchy’s law on “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide” being in place for one year now, there is little to report on the subject except that the secretariat of ADMD-L receives many letters and calls from people outside the country hoping to be able to come and “die” in Luxembourg.
ADMD-L reports:
“Although we are aware that there are doctors and hospitals that enable euthanasia, there is no list of names known to us of either, and the subject is still treated with great discretion.
ADMD-L also keeps a low profile on the subject in order not to provoke unnecessary clashes with opposing politicians and institutions in the country.
Indeed, one patient in the terminal phase of cancer and already granted euthanasia was denied his wishes by the management of the hospital. However, he was able to receive euthanasia shortly thereafter, after Jean Huss, co-author of the euthanasia law and president of ADMD-L, had asked the Minister of Health a question on the incident in parliament. The answer was that a hospital that does not respect the law could be penalized financially.
The official report of the “Commission de Contrôle” in a year’s time will reveal how many cases of euthanasia have taken place and under which circumstances. In the meantime, ADMD-L is concentrating on advising people on the correct procedure for registering their living wills and requests for euthanasia, as well as on keeping a watchful eye on the correct application of the law.”