Only half of Belgian euthanasia cases reported

Reporting of euthanasia in medical practice in Flanders, Belgium: cross sectional analysis of reported and unreported cases -- Smets et al. 341 -- bmj.com What the authors found is that in 2007 in Flanders, the Dutch speaking part of Belgium, only 52.8% cases of euthanasia were reported to the authorities. Why is the rate so low? It appears that about 77% physicians who did not report cases of euthanasia did not perceive their act as euthanasia, as defined by Belgium's law. But there were other reasons as well. About 18% said that reporting involves too much paperwork; about 12% feared that not all of the legal requirements had been met; 9% thought that euthanasia is a private matter between physician and patient.