TABLE 1. Continued Year Source Article type Methods and findings on irremediability Empirical studies 1997 Groenewoud et al. Physician-Assisted Death in Psychiatric Practice in the Netherlands. N Engl J Med. 1997;336(25):1795-1801. Questionnaire among psychiatrists Methods: 205 psychiatrists with experience in PAD-requests filled in a questionnaire about their experiences. Findings on irremediability: 91% of the psychiatrists thought that incurability and hopelessness were important demands for PAD. 64% of psychiatric patients that requested PAD refused at least one treatment. 2015 Thienpont et al. Euthanasia requests, procedures and outcomes for 100 Belgian patients suffering from psychiatric disorders: a retrospective, descriptive study. BMJ Open. 2015;5(7):e007454. Quantitative medical file review Methods: 100 medical files of psychiatric patients that requested PAD were retrospectively analysed. Findings on irremediability: describes that all 100 patients suffered irremediable, but also that 38 patients were later referred for further reviewing or offered additional treatment. 2016 Kim SYH, de Vries R, Peteet JR. Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide of Patients With Psychiatric Disorders in the Netherlands 2011 to 2014. JAMA psychiatry. 2016. Quantitative case-series analysis. Methods: analysed 66 case reports of Dutch psychiatric patients who died through PAD between 2011 and 2014. Findings on irremediability: 56% of patients refused at least some form of treatment. In 20% of the cases (13/66) psychiatrists disagreed about irremediability. 2017 Verhofstadt et al. When unbearable suffering incites psychiatric patients to request euthanasia: Qualitative study. Br J Psychiatry. 2017;211(4):238-245. Qualitative testimonialanalysis Methods: testimonials from 26 psychiatric patients who requested euthanasia were qualitatively analysed using direct content analysis. Findings on irremediability: hopelessness and incurability were both important factors that contributed to the patient’s suffering. 2017 Onwuteaka-Philipsen et al. Derde Evaluatie Wet Toetsing Levensbeëindiging Op Verzoek En Hulp Bij Zelfdoding.; 2017. Questionnaire among psychiatrists Methods: 248 psychiatrists with experience in PAD-requests filled in a questionnaire about their experiences. Findings on irremediability: the fact that there were still treatment possibilities is the most common reason for psychiatrists to refuse PAD (53%). 56% of the respondents thought it possible to establish irremediability. 70% of psychiatrists believe that future treatment options should not be taken into account when deciding about irremediability. Qualitative interviews among psychiatrists Methods: 10 psychiatrists who performed PAD were interviewed in depth. Findings on irremediability: several psychiatrists acknowledged that ascertaining whether suffering is irremediable and unbearable is the most difficult of all the legal demands. 2018 van Veen et al. Euthanasia of Dutch Patients with Psychiatric Disorders between 2015 and 2017. J Ethics Ment Heal. 2018;10. Quantitative case-series analysis. Methods: 35 case reports of Dutch psychiatric patients who died through PAD between 2015 and 2017 were analyzed. Findings on irremediability: in 11% of the cases (4/35) consulted psychiatrists disagreed about irremediability. 66 | PART II - CHAPTER 4 4
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