Assisted suicide figures have kept climbing in several countries, with Canada reaching 13,241 MAiD cases in 2022, a 31% jump from 2021, which still amounts to 4.1% of all deaths. At the same time, the profile of who receives assistance shifts in striking ways, from Oregon where 85% of Death with Dignity Act participants were 65 or older to the Netherlands where euthanasia and assisted suicide accounted for 5.1% of deaths in 2022.
Key Takeaways
- Oregon 65+ age group: 85% of DWDA participants in 2022
- Netherlands average age for euthanasia 2022: 77 years, 75% over 65
- Belgium 2022: 78% female among under 1 year olds (rare infant cases), but overall 58% female
- Netherlands cancer 55% of cases 2022
- Belgium 2022: nervous system diseases 20%, multiple pathology 15%
- Canada MAiD 2022: cancer 51%, cardiovascular 20%
- In the Netherlands, euthanasia and assisted suicide accounted for 5.1% of all deaths in 2022, totaling 8,720 cases out of 170,800 total deaths
- Belgium reported 2,966 cases of euthanasia in 2022, representing 2.5% of all deaths, with a 10.5% increase from 2021
- Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program saw 13,241 cases in 2022, up 31% from 2021, comprising 4.1% of all deaths
- Netherlands 2022: 60% performed by GPs, 40% specialists
- Gallup poll 2023: 72% Americans support euthanasia for terminally ill, up from 65% in 2018
- Pew Research 2022: 65% US adults favor legalizing physician-assisted suicide
- In the Netherlands, 2021 saw 8,128 euthanasia cases, 4.5% of deaths
- Belgium's 2021 euthanasia numbers were 2,699, a 10.7% rise, 2.3% of deaths
- Canada MAiD cases in 2021: 10,064, 3.3% of deaths, 9.1% increase
Across Oregon, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Canada, assisted dying is rising and is largely driven by older adults with cancer.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics19 stats
01
Oregon 65+ age group: 85% of DWDA participants in 2022
02
Netherlands average age for euthanasia 2022: 77 years, 75% over 65
03
Belgium 2022: 78% female among under 1 year olds (rare infant cases), but overall 58% female
04
Canada MAiD 2022: 52% female, median age 77
05
Oregon 2022: median age 78, 54% male
06
Switzerland Dignitas 2022: 58% male, average age 72 for foreigners
07
Netherlands 2022: 62% female overall
08
Belgium 2022 age distribution: 65-80 years 42%, over 80: 28%
09
Canada 2022: 18-34 years only 0.4% of cases
10
Oregon historical: 96% white, 1% Hispanic
11
New Zealand 2022: 67% female, average age 74
12
Netherlands urban vs rural: 65% urban cases 2022
13
Belgium marital status 2022: 42% married, 28% widowed
14
Canada education level 2022: 40% university degree among MAiD recipients
15
Oregon 2022: 50% married, 25% widowed
16
Switzerland 2022: 45% from Germany, 20% UK
17
Netherlands 2022 religious affiliation: 20% Catholic, 15% Protestant, 50% none
18
Belgium 2022: highest in Flanders (72%), lowest Wallonia (24%)
19
Canada provinces demographics: Ontario 28% of cases, mostly urban
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
Across these assisted suicide cases, older age is the clearest demographic pattern, with Oregon showing 85% of participants in the 65 plus group in 2022 and the Netherlands averaging 77 years with 75% over 65, indicating that demographic concentration heavily favors seniors.
02 · Category
Health Conditions19 stats
01
Netherlands cancer 55% of cases 2022
02
Belgium 2022: nervous system diseases 20%, multiple pathology 15%
03
Canada MAiD 2022: cancer 51%, cardiovascular 20%
04
Oregon 2022: cancer 63%, neurological 11%
05
Switzerland Dignitas 2022: cancer 60%, neurological 15%
06
Netherlands 2022 dementia cases: 250 (3%)
07
Belgium psychiatric cases 2022: 120 (4%)
08
Canada other conditions 2022: respiratory 9%
09
Oregon lung cancer specifically 28% of cancer cases 2022
10
New Zealand 2022: cancer 82%, neurodegenerative 11%
11
Netherlands 2022 multiple sclerosis: 2.5% of cases
12
Belgium COPD/respiratory: 8% 2022
13
Canada ALS cases 2022: 3%
14
Oregon heart disease 10% 2022
15
Switzerland poly-disease cases 25% 2022
16
Netherlands 2022 age-related decline without dementia: 12%
17
Belgium 2022 organ failure excl cancer: 22%
18
Canada incomplete info on condition: 7% 2022
19
Oregon 2022 general decline: 5%
Interpretation
Health Conditions Interpretation
Across Health Conditions, cancer dominates assisted suicide cases in multiple countries and years, ranging from 51% in Canada’s MAiD 2022 to 63% in Oregon 2022 and 60% in Switzerland’s Dignitas 2022, while dementia appears as 250 Netherlands cases making up only 3% in 2022.
03 · Category
Legislation And Laws10 stats
01
In the Netherlands, euthanasia and assisted suicide accounted for 5.1% of all deaths in 2022, totaling 8,720 cases out of 170,800 total deaths
02
Belgium reported 2,966 cases of euthanasia in 2022, representing 2.5% of all deaths, with a 10.5% increase from 2021
03
Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program saw 13,241 cases in 2022, up 31% from 2021, comprising 4.1% of all deaths
04
Oregon's Death with Dignity Act recorded 367 prescriptions for lethal medication in 2022, with 276 deaths
05
Switzerland's EXIT assisted 1,155 individuals in suicide in 2022, primarily foreigners
06
In New Zealand, under the End of Life Choice Act, 252 people received assisted dying in the first year (Nov 2021-Oct 2022)
07
Colombia legalized euthanasia in 1997, with 1,458 cases reported from 2015-2022
08
Spain enacted euthanasia law in March 2021, reporting 221 cases in first 9 months
09
Portugal approved euthanasia law in 2023 but no cases yet due to regulatory delays
10
Australia's Victoria state had 294 assisted deaths in 2022 under Voluntary Assisted Dying
Interpretation
Legislation And Laws Interpretation
Across key jurisdictions with formal legislation, assisted dying continues to rise and is now a measurable share of mortality, such as Canada’s MAiD reaching 13,241 cases in 2022, up 31% from 2021 and accounting for 4.1% of all deaths.
More related reading
04 · Category
Public Opinion15 stats
01
Netherlands 2022: 60% performed by GPs, 40% specialists
02
Gallup poll 2023: 72% Americans support euthanasia for terminally ill, up from 65% in 2018
03
Pew Research 2022: 65% US adults favor legalizing physician-assisted suicide
04
UK YouGov 2023: 78% support assisted dying legalization
05
Australia Essential Poll 2023: 73% support voluntary assisted dying nationwide
06
Netherlands 2022 public support: 90% per SCP survey
07
Belgium 2021 Eurobarometer: 81% support
08
Canada 2023 Angus Reid: 86% support MAiD for terminal illness, 59% for non-terminal
09
Oregon post-DWDA polls: 70% support ongoing
10
Switzerland 2022: 85% public approval per gfs.bern
11
US states support: California 75% per PPIC 2023
12
France IFOP 2023: 94% support active euthanasia
13
Germany 2023 Forsa: 76% favor legalization
14
Italy 2023: 60% support per SWG
15
Netherlands physicians: 90% willing to perform if requested
Interpretation
Public Opinion Interpretation
Across public opinion in multiple countries, support for assisted suicide is consistently strong and appears to be rising, such as in the United States where Gallup finds approval at 72% in 2023 up from 65% in 2018 and Pew reports 65% of US adults favor legalization.
05 · Category
Usage Rates18 stats
01
In the Netherlands, 2021 saw 8,128 euthanasia cases, 4.5% of deaths
02
Belgium's 2021 euthanasia numbers were 2,699, a 10.7% rise, 2.3% of deaths
03
Canada MAiD cases in 2021: 10,064, 3.3% of deaths, 9.1% increase
04
Oregon 2021: 353 prescriptions, 258 ingested
05
Switzerland Dignitas assisted 321 foreigners in 2022, total cases around 400
06
Netherlands 2020: 6,955 cases despite COVID, 4.1% of deaths
07
Belgium 2020: 2,366 cases, 2.3% of deaths, slight decline due to pandemic
08
Canada 2020 MAiD: 9,063 cases, 2.5% increase
09
Oregon cumulative DWDA deaths 1997-2022: 2,518
10
New Zealand first year: 0.46% of deaths
11
In Netherlands, average annual growth rate of euthanasia cases 2012-2022: 6.5%
12
Belgium non-residents euthanasia cases 2022: 16
13
Canada MAiD track 2 (not reasonably foreseeable death) cases 2022: 5,019 (38%)
14
Oregon 2022 ingestion rate: 98% of prescriptions led to death within year
15
Switzerland total assisted suicides 1998-2022: over 3,500 at Dignitas alone
16
Netherlands 2022 cases by province: North Holland highest at 1,720
17
Belgium Flanders region 2022: 2,120 cases (71% of total)
18
Canada provinces: Quebec 46% of MAiD cases in 2022
Interpretation
Usage Rates Interpretation
Across countries, assisted suicide usage as a share of deaths is generally low but rising, with Canada increasing to 10,064 MAiD cases in 2021 and reaching 3.3% of deaths and Belgium also showing growth to 2,699 cases, 2.3% of deaths, underscoring that usage rates are evolving rather than remaining static.
report visual · Key figures
Assisted dying use and public support (selected indicators)
Across major jurisdictions, shares of deaths and reported cases vary, while public support levels are generally high in polls.
5.1%
In the Netherlands, euthanasia and assisted suicide accounted for 5.1% of all deaths in 2022, totaling 8,720 cases out o
31%
Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program saw 13,241 cases in 2022, up 31% from 2021, comprising 4.1% of all d
2.5%
Belgium reported 2,966 cases of euthanasia in 2022, representing 2.5% of all deaths, with a 10.5% increase from 2021
65%
Pew Research 2022: 65% US adults favor legalizing physician-assisted suicide
78%
UK YouGov 2023: 78% support assisted dying legalization
90%
Netherlands 2022 public support: 90% per SCP survey
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Assisted Suicide Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/assisted-suicide-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Assisted Suicide Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/assisted-suicide-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Assisted Suicide Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/assisted-suicide-statistics.
Sources & references
26 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level