Concern about the steady expansion of the boundaries of euthanasia in Belgium is growing. The Belgian parliament is currently considering whether to extend the right to euthanasia to children and the demented, sparking considerable debate on the issue locally and overseas. One response has been the formation of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Europe. The coordinator, a Welsh disability activist, Kevin Fitzpatrick, says:
"The UK, France and Germany are currently considering legislation, but overwhelming evidence from jurisdictions where euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is legal, such as Belgium and the Netherlands, demonstrates beyond doubt, how quickly and easily euthanasia is extended to others, especially disabled people and elderly people. High-profile cases here have provoked international outrage leading commentators to think of Belgium as the new world leader in exploiting euthanasia against those with disabilities and mental health issues."
The group recently held a press conference at the European Parliament in Brussels followed by a debate between Dr Jan Bernheim, an Belgian oncologist who was instrumental in legalisation and Alex Schadenberg, a Canadian who is the head of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. See the video.