The recent extension of Belgium’s euthanasia laws to include children has been widely reported and sent some ripples of concern through the community.  Underlying this is, however, a note of caution.

In a recent piece in The Conversation the authors call for caution in considering the new laws and their implications.  They point out that the law only applies to a narrow cohort and caution against claims that there are no age limits.  Read their comments here.  A helpful post be @christianmunthe provides access to an unofficial English translation of the law and an overview is provided in Bioedge here.  It is clearly a complex issue and subject of much debate which raises significant issues regarding capacity to consent, potential for influence over children and of course autonomy.