Willingness of Dutch general practitioners to grant euthanasia and assisted suicide requests: a comparative study of physical and mental health conditions

Dutch GPs are less willing to grant and perform EAS requests from individuals with a mental health condition compared to those with a physical health condition. This may reflect difficulties in assessing due care criteria, clinical uncertainty, challenges in empathising, prolonged processes, and ethical complexity. These findings highlight the need for better implementation of existing guidelines in GP practice, alongside targeted training and stronger support for GPs-including timely access to psychiatric expertise and SCEN consultations, and close collaboration with the Expertise Center Euthanasia (ECE).