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2026
World's first face transplant from donor who died of euthanasia
On February 2, 2026, the Vall d'Hebron clinic in Spain announced the world's first partial facial transplant surgery from a euthanized donor. About 100 specialists of various profiles took part in the procedure. Read more here.
Euthanasia allowed in 18 countries
By the beginning of February 2026, there are 18 countries and territories in the world in which euthanasia or assisted suicide is allowed. About 300 million people have legal access to the voluntary care procedure. The data are provided by the World Federation of Societies for the Right to Death.
Countries where euthanasia or assisted suicide is permitted:
- Netherlands - euthanasia and assisted suicide since 2002;
- Belgium - euthanasia and assisted suicide from the same year;
- Luxembourg - euthanasia and assisted suicide since 2009;
- Switzerland - assisted suicide only since 1941;
- Canada - euthanasia and assisted suicide since 2016;
- Colombia - euthanasia since 1997;
- Ecuador - euthanasia since 2024;
- Uruguay - euthanasia since 2025;
- Spain - euthanasia from 2021;
- Portugal - euthanasia from 2023 (the law did not come into force);
- Australia (all six states) - voluntary death assistance from 2017-2024;
- New Zealand - euthanasia from 2021;
- Germany - assisted suicide only from 2020;
- Austria - assisted suicide only from 2022;
- Italy (Tuscany region) - assisted suicide only since February 2025;
- The United States (11 states and the District of Columbia) is assisted suicide only.
In
The Netherlands became the first country to legalize active euthanasia after 30 years of discussion. In April 2023, age restrictions were lifted in the country. Over 9 thousand people enjoy the right to voluntary care annually.
Belgium in 2014 became the first state to legalize euthanasia for minors. More than 2 thousand people undergo the procedure annually.
In Switzerland, Dignitas is the only organization in the world that legally conducts a procedure for foreigners. As of 2025, more than 500 Britons have used this service.
Canada is the world leader in euthanasia cases. The MAiD program was used by more than 60 thousand people.
2024
The world's first suicide capsule was first used for its intended purpose. It will be used by countries with permitted evatanasia
In late September 2024, Swiss police launched a criminal investigation into the alleged death of a 64-year-old American woman inside a so-called "suicide capsule." The Sarco Pod, designed by Philippe Nitschke, facilitates euthanasia by releasing nitrogen gas, leading to unconsciousness and death within minutes. Read more here.
Euthanasia allowed in Ecuador
In early February 2024, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador approved euthanasia. The decision was made as part of the trial of Paola Roldan, who sought the possibility of voluntary retirement due to a serious illness.
Roldan, 42, has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system accompanied by progressive muscle paralysis. ALS is an incurable ailment, and patient death occurs from respiratory tract infections or respiratory muscle failure.
It is reported that the Constitutional Court of Ecuador granted the claim for the recognition of the conditional unconstitutionality of the article of the Criminal Code, in which euthanasia is equal to murder and punishable by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 13 years. During the decision, seven out of nine judges spoke in favor. Thus, in Ecuador, euthanasia is actually legalized in the case of patients in the terminal stage.
 | The court believes that the raised case is related to the rights to a decent life and the free development of the person, therefore, after the examination, it came to the conclusion that, within the framework of the inviolability of the right to life, exceptions are permissible when it comes to protecting other rights, the ruling says. |  |
Medical staff may request access to euthanasia when a person experiencing severe suffering has expressed their unequivocal, free and informed consent to the procedure (or through their representative when unable to express it on their own). The court also ordered the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health to draft a ruling within a two-month period governing the procedure for applying voluntary euthanasia. The country's parliament is invited to consider, discuss and pass the relevant law within a year.[1]
2022: Belgium's euthanasia cases rise to 2,966 a year
2021
In Switzerland, allowed to use 3D-printed capsules for euthanasia
In early December 2021, Switzerland was allowed to use 3D-printed euthanasia capsules called Sarco. There were no legal problems with the documents when considered by the country's Ministry of Health. Read more here.
Spain passes law legalizing euthanasia
On March 18, 2021, Spain passed a law legalizing euthanasia, becoming the fourth country in Europe to allow people to kill themselves in certain circumstances.
The lower house of the Spanish parliament approved the law with the support of centrist and left-wing parties.
The law allows adults with "serious and incurable" illnesses causing "unbearable suffering" to choose the end of their lives.
It is expected to take effect in June.
Before the law was passed, helping someone die in Spain was potentially punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Secanol dose price rise to $3,000
In 2009, the price of a lethal dose of seconal - 100 capsules - was less than $200. In dollars 2021, this is more than $3,000. In 2021, sales of only this drug and/or analogues in,, and USA To Canada Netherlands Belgium amounted to more than $65,187,000.
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