Health Care Analysis, Vol. 12, No. 3, September 2004 ( C  2004) Euthanasia and Palliative Care in the Netherlands: An Analysis of the Latest Developments Bert Gordijn 1,2 and Rien Janssens 1 This article discusses the latest developments regarding euthanasia and palliative care in the Netherlands. On the one hand, a legally codified practice of euthanasia has been established. On the other hand, there has been a strong development of palliative care. The combination of these simultaneous processes seems to be rather unique. This contribution first focuses on these remarkable developments. Subsequently, the analysis concentrates on the question of how these new devel- opments have influenced the ethical debate. KEY WORDS: euthanasia; physician assisted suicide; palliative care; terminal sedation. INTRODUCTION In recent years there has been a decriminalisation of euthanasia and physi- cian assisted suicide (PAS) in the Netherlands. At the same time there has been a strong development of palliative care. Hence, the Dutch situation can be studied as an example of a society that combines two trends that for many seem to be radically contrasting phenomena that exclude each other. Since tendencies toward liberalization of euthanasia and PAS are not an exclusively Dutch phenomenon and can be seen in many different parts of the world, it will be interesting to study how a liberal policy toward euthanasia and PAS as well as a process rapidly de- veloping structures of palliative care in one and the same society affect each other mutually and how they influence thinking on medical decisions at the end of life. Therefore, this contribution first focuses on the recent changes in Dutch policy re- garding euthanasia and palliative care. Subsequently, the analysis concentrates 1 Department of Ethics, Philosophy and History of Medicine, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. 2 Correspondence should be directed to Bert Gordijn, Department of Ethics, Philosophy and History of Medicine, University of Nijmegen, Geert Grooteplein 21, P.O. Box 9101, 6500HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; e-mail: b.gordijn@efg.umcn.nl. 195 1065-3058/04/0900-0195/1 C  2004 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.