Who in Belgium to contact to request Euthanasia as a foreigner?

[aGoodDayToDie]

Belgium has euthanised foreigners:

Has Belgium become a haven for people wanting to end their life?

While euthanasia is legal in Belgium, increasing numbers of patients from neighbouring countries, particularly France, are seeking to end their lives there.

www.euronews.com

But after much googling, the closest hint of an answer I've found is this:



The only answer simply says to contact the Belgian embassy. But when I Google the Belgian embassy it looks like all they're set up for is irrelevant things like renewing passports for Belgian nationals and stuff like that.

Who the hell do I contact?? Thus is so hard for me I don't understand what I should be looking for, who I need to contact. I'm so overwhelmed!

Does anyone here have any idea? Maybe someone could have a quick search for me and see if you turn up any more answers than I've been able to??

It's so hard because I have adhd and autism so I jyst struggle to understand how the world works, I just seem to fail at everything I try to do! And I don't know of many, if any, places I can ask to get help with this! Especially since we live in a predominantly pro-life world. It's so frustrating


More information:

 

[Tears in Rain]

Belgium has euthanised foreigners:

Has Belgium become a haven for people wanting to end their life?

While euthanasia is legal in Belgium, increasing numbers of patients from neighbouring countries, particularly France, are seeking to end their lives there.

www.euronews.com

But after much googling, the closest hint of an answer I've found is this:



The only answer simply says to contact the Belgian embassy. But when I Google the Belgian embassy it looks like all they're set up for is irrelevant things like renewing passports for Belgian nationals and stuff like that.

Who the hell do I contact?? Thus is so hard for me I don't understand what I should be looking for, who I need to contact. I'm so overwhelmed!

Does anyone here have any idea? Maybe someone could have a quick search for me and see if you turn up any more answers than I've been able to??

It's so hard because I have adhd and autism so I jyst struggle to understand how the world works, I just seem to fail at everything I try to do! And I don't know of many, if any, places I can ask to get help with this! Especially since we live in a predominantly pro-life world. It's so frustrating


More information:

You have to do it through a Belgian physician somehow. I'm not sure how, but that's the only way.
Do you fit the 3 criteria mentioned in that link you posted?:



Even if you do, in another piece I came across it said non-nationals will only be considered for physical suffering, not psychiatric suffering:

 

[aGoodDayToDie]

You have to do it through a Belgian physician somehow. I'm not sure how, but that's the only way.
Do you fit the 3 criteria mentioned in that link you posted?:

View attachment 126759

Even if you do, in another piece I came across it said non-nationals will only be considered for physical suffering, not psychiatric suffering:

View attachment 126760
View attachment 126761

Thanks. Fuck.

 

[Tears in Rain]

Thanks. Fuck.

If you have the money, try Switzerland. But I presume that you've already looked into that avenue.

 

[aGoodDayToDie]

Here's the response I got from the Belgian Embassy:

[email protected]

In Belgium, to request euthanasia, you must make the request to a doctor practicing in Belgium and be under the conditions provided for by law. Nationality is not a criterion, but a deep therapeutic relationship with this doctor is essential. (There is no form for people residing abroad).) Several stays in Belgium or even several trips for various consultations will therefore be necessary in order to compile a medical file. This doctor will compile the medical file (any element provided will help him), which will check whether the patient meets the conditions of the law and, if he accepts the request, he will send it to colleagues who will make a second opinion. However, we would like to inform you of the following: faced with cases of psychiatric illnesses, doctors take more time before reaching a decision and will ensure that no possible option, whether in terms of healing , or to make suffering bearable does not exist. This necessarily implies a large number of consultations over the long term and therefore many trips to Belgium without any guarantee as to the outcome expected by the patient. Since euthanasia records are protected by the Privacy Act, we unfortunately cannot give you names of doctors to contact. Terms o be able to benefit from euthanasia in Belgium, you must: 1) Be under the conditions provided for by law: At the time of the request, the patient must: • be able to express one's will and aware AND • be in a hopeless medical situation AND • report constant, unbearable and unrelievable physical and/or psychological suffering; this suffering resulting from one or more serious or incurable accidental or pathological conditions. This request must be made in such a way: • voluntary, • thoughtful • repeated (which implies an ongoing therapeutic relationship with a Belgian doctor who can attest to this repeated nature); without external pressure. 2) Make the request to a doctor practicing in Belgium and who accepts it. Indeed: euthanasia is not a right: submitting a request for euthanasia does not guarantee that it will be performed. Even if all the legal conditions are met, the doctor is free to accept or refuse to perform euthanasia. Talking to this doctor several times is unavoidable. Indeed, the Law insists that the doctor who receives the request conducts several interviews with the patient and ensures that his request is voluntary, considered and repeated over time.



Cost



We cannot answer you for the average cost. Until now, doctors' fees for euthanasia followed the ordinary nomenclature set by the INAMI (National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance). It will therefore be either a consultation or a visit to a general practitioner or a consultation to a specialist.



In addition, except in the case of hospitalization via the emergency room, hospitals require a deposit for non-residents. The invoice for fees and expenses drawn up at the end of hospitalization takes account of the payment of this deposit.

Do not forget the European regulations which allow foreigners, for example, to present the invoices for benefits to their social insurance fund.

We cannot provide you with information on the cost of transport (including in a medical vehicle) for the patient and his relatives (possibly the cost of accommodation) nor on the cost of the funeral if the body is repatriated (necessity for health reasons of a sealed coffin).

It is probably these latter costs that make the difference between residents and non-residents.




The Belgian ADMD (French-speaking) or the LEIF (LevensEinde InformatieForum - Dutch-speaking) could perhaps give you more practical information.



LEIF - End of Life Information Forum (Dutch and English)

J. Vander Vekenstraat 158

1780Wemmel

Belgium

https://leif.be/home/

Tel: +32 78 15 11 55 (reachable on working days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).



Belgian ADMD (French and English speaking)

Secretariat:

avenue Eugène Plasky 144 box 3

B-1030 Brussels

Belgium

call. +32 2 502 04 85 Fax +32 2 502 61 50

Email: [email protected]

http://www2.admd.be/Qui_est_qui.html

 

[Echo]

Did you get any further with this process @aGoodDayToDie ?

 

[voidstar]

You have to do it through a Belgian physician somehow. I'm not sure how, but that's the only way.
Do you fit the 3 criteria mentioned in that link you posted?:

View attachment 126759

Even if you do, in another piece I came across it said non-nationals will only be considered for physical suffering, not psychiatric suffering:

View attachment 126760
View attachment 126761

Oh wow, thank you for this! This means I could apply based on MS

 

[fallingasl33p]

If you have the money, try Switzerland. But I presume that you've already looked into that avenue.

Switzerland is exactly the same if not more strict. They only really accept older patients with an incurable/ life-limiting or degenerative disease.

 

[Tears in Rain]

Switzerland is exactly the same if not more strict. They only really accept older patients with an incurable/ life-limiting or degenerative disease.

Swiss assisted-dying organisations seem to be more open to foreign applicants than other countries. There have been recent cases of under-50s, who didn't have a terminal Illness, going there.

Teacher secretly pays Swiss clinic £10k to kill himself by injection

47-year-old schoolteacher, Alastair Hamilton with no diagnosed illness paid more than £10,000 to die at a Swiss suicide clinic - which then kept his death a secret from his family, Mail on Sunday reveals.

www.google.com