Professor Theo Boer:

I do not quite understand. l do not think there is much difference between the Netherlands and Belgium. The main difference is that the Belgians do not have the review committees that we have. They just have one review committee, which is national, and we have five regional committees that do much more intense work. As for the criteria, I do not think there is much difference.

As for the conscientious objection, there is a difference between the Netherlands on the one hand and Belgium and Canada on the other hand, in that in Belgium and Canada euthanasia in principle is sometimes considered as good medical care, which means that if a physician refuses to do it or if an institution refuses to allow it within its premises that there is a moral or even a legal problem. In the Netherlands, there is both on the side of the physician and the side of the institution a right to refuse without giving reasons. There is even no obligation in the Netherlands to refer a patient to a willing doctor, so that is-----