The Role of the Medical Examiner in the Euthanasia Notification Procedure in the Netherlands

Abstract

The objective of the study was to provide an insight into the role of the medical examiner in the euthanasia notification procedure in The Netherlands.

At the beginning of 1996 a representative group of 116 medical examiners was interviewed. The study found that there was a considerable variation in the way in which the medical examiners fulfilled their tasks. In all cases, after the physician-assisted death had taken place, the medical examiner investigated whether the attending physician had met the requirements for prudent practice, and in approximately 75% of the cases he reported his findings to the Public Prosecutor. In 78% of cases the attending physician was well known to the medical examiners, who were general practitioners, and in a third of the cases this influenced their assessment. Seventy-six per cent of the medical examiners, 61% of the members of the public prosecution and 47% of the physicians thought that it is the task of the medical examiner to review whether the requirements for prudent practice have been met by the attending physician.

In conclusion, further specification of the task of the medical examiner would appear to be beneficial to increase uniformity in the procedure. In particular, it should be determined whether it is the medical examiner's responsibility to review whether the requirements for prudent practice have been met. It should also be taken into consideration whether the position of the general practitioner medical examiner is sufficiently independent to make an objective report.