List of deaths from legal euthanasia and assisted suicide

Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering, while assisted suicide, also known as physician-assisted suicide, is suicide committed with the aid of a physician. Assisted suicide is often confused with euthanasia. In cases of euthanasia the physician administers the means of death, usually a lethal drug. In assisted suicide, it is required that the person voluntarily expresses their wish to die, and also makes a request for medication for the purpose of ending their life. Assisted suicide thus involves a person’s self-administration of deadly drugs that are supplied by a doctor. The legality of euthanasia and assisted suicide varies. Involuntary euthanasia is illegal in all countries. Active non-voluntary euthanasia (patient's consent unavailable) is illegal in all countries, though in the Netherlands the Groningen Protocol allows exemptions from prosecution in strict circumstances. Passive non-voluntary euthanasia (withholding life support) is either legal or not legislated in most countries.

Voluntary euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. It is also legal in all states and territories of Australia except the Northern Territory (where it was briefly legal from 1996–1997), and in the United States jurisdictions of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Washington State and Washington DC. Assisted suicide is legal in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland.

This list contains notable people who have died via either legal voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide. The criterion for notability is an article on the individual in the English Wikipedia.

NameBornDiedNationalityPlace of deathProfession 19312024DutchNetherlandsPolitician, diplomat and head of government 19372021AmericanUnited StatesPsychotherapist 19402019AmericanUnited StatesActor and director 19952024DutchNetherlands 19692022CanadianCanadaAcademic and researcher 19432018CanadianCanadaBroadcaster and author 19111998DutchNetherlandsPolitician 20002026SpanishSpainActivist 19362010FrenchSwitzerlandTheorist, translator and author 19452024BrazilianSwitzerlandComposer and poet 19292008BelgianBelgiumAuthor 19272024AmericanUnited StatesMusician 19482022BelgianBelgiumActress and director 19172013BelgianBelgiumCytologist and biochemist 19832026FrenchBelgiumActor and stage director 19892024DutchNetherlandsField hockey player 19242009EnglishSwitzerlandConductor 19762024PeruvianPeruPsychologist 19412023CanadianCanadaPolitician 19292025AmericanSwitzerlandSculptor 19562022AmericanSwitzerlandDrummer, composer and bandleader 19352025AustralianAustraliaAuthor and journalist 19402022AmericanSwitzerland Businessman 19332018TaiwaneseSwitzerland Television presenter 19272007AustrianSwitzerland Actor and politician 19342022CanadianCanadaIce hockey player 19302022French-SwissSwitzerlandFilm director, screenwriter and film critic 19142018AustralianSwitzerlandBotanist and ecologist 19492021FrenchSwitzerlandPolitician 19382016DutchNetherlandsPolitician 19542026BelgianBelgiumSinger and politician 19672010BritishSwitzerland Comics artist 19472025AmericanSwitzerland Businessman 19622016BelgianBelgiumSoftware developer 19462022DutchNetherlandsFootball player and manager 19632022AmericanUnited StatesPolitician 19342024Israeli-AmericanSwitzerlandPsychologist and nobel laureate 19362025GermanGermanyEntertainer 19362025GermanGermanyEntertainer 19352016CanadianCanadaWriter 19382012GermanSwitzerlandFootball striker and manager 19312019CanadianCanadaActress 19822023CanadianCanadaMusician 19432024AmericanUnited StatesRabbi, political activist 19392018DutchNetherlandsPolitician, diplomat and head of government 19232019CanadianCanadaRadio executive 19682007AmericanUnited StatesBurlesque performer and activist 19322011ItalianSwitzerlandJournalist and politician 19492024CanadianCanadaPsychiatrist, talk show host 19362013BelgianBelgiumPolitician, jurist and head of government 19842014AmericanUnited StatesTeacher 19402024CanadianCanadaPolitician 19322025SwissSwitzerlandLawyer and journalist 19612023AustralianAustraliaWriter, musician, artist and actor 19492017IsraeliSwitzerlandActivist, militant and politician 19252004DutchNetherlandsJournalist and author 19342024BelgianBelgiumPolitician 19332021CanadianCanadaDirector and screenwriter 1924 2006AustrianSwitzerland Stockbroker 19432024DutchNetherlandsPainter 19362023AmericanSwitzerlandJournalist and author 19512022AmericanUnited StatesFolk musician 19532011IsraeliSwitzerland Journalist and news presenter 19602023BelgianBelgiumSinger 19342019BelgianBelgiumPhilosopher 19792019BelgianBelgiumParalympic athlete 19682022AmericanSwitzerlandWriter and journalist 19212009EnglishSwitzerlandClarinetist, teacher and writer 19622015DutchNetherlandsPoet, novelist and musician 19342022AmericanSwitzerlandFilmmaker 19522025AmericanSwitzerlandBusinessman, lawyerhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/19/business/michael-c-wood-dead.html

Further reading

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