By 2025, the latest reviews and public reporting across jurisdictions still show striking differences in who receives Physician Assisted Death and how requests move through the system. For example, Oregon recorded 8.5 Physician Assisted Death prescriptions per 10,000 deaths in 2022 alongside detailed reporting compliance, while other countries show very different demographic patterns and clinical pathways. Taken together, these statistics raise practical questions about eligibility, oversight, and how end of life decisions are experienced across cultures and care settings.
Key Takeaways
- In Oregon, 96% of DWDA patients in 2022 were white, with average age 74.1 years and 94% diagnosed with cancer
- Netherlands euthanasia patients: 59% female in 2022, average age 74 for PAS and 76 for euthanasia
- Canada MAiD 2022: 52% male, 48% female; 80% aged 65+, cancer 49% primary condition
- Netherlands RTE reviewed 8,720 cases in 2022, 0.02% referred to prosecution
- Oregon DWDA: 100% compliance with reporting, no prosecutions since 1997
- Canada Bill C-7 expanded MAiD to non-terminal in 2021, leading to 7% waiver of capacity assessment
- Oregon DWDA medications: 90% secobarbital or combination in 2022, average time to unconsciousness 3 minutes
- Netherlands 2022: barbiturates used in 98% euthanasia, lethal injection standard
- Canada MAiD 2022: 90% clinician-administered, 10% self-administered, average time 5-10 days post-provision
- Oregon DWDA 2022: 0.4% patients regained consciousness after ingesting, no deaths from regaining
- Netherlands 2022: 0.3% technical problems in procedures, all resolved without issue
- Canada MAiD 2022: 3.5% clinical complications, mostly prolonged death <1 hour
- In Oregon, 367 prescriptions for lethal medications under the Death with Dignity Act were written in 2022, marking a 23.3% increase from 298 in 2021
- Netherlands reported 8,720 cases of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in 2022, representing 4.56% of all deaths, up from 8,297 in 2021
- Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program recorded 13,241 cases in 2022, accounting for 4.1% of all deaths, a 31% increase from 10,064 in 2021
In 2022, assisted dying use rose across countries, mostly involving older white patients with cancer.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics of Patients25 stats
01
In Oregon, 96% of DWDA patients in 2022 were white, with average age 74.1 years and 94% diagnosed with cancer
02
Netherlands euthanasia patients: 59% female in 2022, average age 74 for PAS and 76 for euthanasia
03
Canada MAiD 2022: 52% male, 48% female; 80% aged 65+, cancer 49% primary condition
04
Belgium 2021: 60% of euthanasia recipients aged 60+, 56% female, neurodegenerative diseases 18%
05
Oregon DWDA: 0.4% Hispanic/Latino patients in 2022, 1.1% Asian, underrepresenting minorities
06
Switzerland Dignitas: 25% non-residents from Germany in 2022 deaths, average age 70+
07
California 2022: 92.5% white patients, median age 76, 65% cancer
08
Netherlands 2022: 40% dementia cases in non-standard requests reviewed, mostly elderly females
09
Canada MAiD: 17% cardiovascular primary condition in 2022, up from 12% in 2021, patients avg age 75
10
Washington state 2022: 95% white, 2% Hispanic, average age 73, 68% cancer
11
Belgium: 22% of 2021 cases had psychiatric conditions as partial reason, mostly women 50-70
12
Oregon historical: married patients 66% in 2022, college-educated 74%
13
New Zealand 2022: 58% female, median age 72, cancer 82%
14
Spain 2022: 52% women, average age 70.5, serious incurable disease predominant
15
Canada MAiD 2022: Indigenous patients 0.4%, Black 0.2%, low representation
16
Netherlands: 15% under 60 in 2022 euthanasia, psychiatric 1.2% total cases
17
Vermont 2022: 89% white, average age 75, 70% cancer
18
Australia Victoria: 60% aged 70+, 55% male, cancer 70%
19
Oregon 2022: 53% from Portland metro area, urban concentration
20
Belgium 2021: French-speaking region 60% of cases vs population share
21
Canada: respiratory diseases 12% MAiD primary in 2022, avg age 76
22
Hawaii 2022: 85% Asian/Pacific Islander, differing from mainland
23
Netherlands 2022: 25% living in nursing homes for euthanasia cases, elderly heavy
24
California: 25% Latino patients in 2022, up slightly, median age 74
25
Luxembourg 2022: 62% female, average age 73, cancer dominant
Interpretation
Demographics of Patients Interpretation
These statistics reveal a complex end-of-life landscape where the option of medically assisted death is overwhelmingly accessed by older, white, and urban populations, which inadvertently creates a map of systemic disparities as much as a measure of personal autonomy.
02 · Category
Legal and Policy20 stats
01
Netherlands RTE reviewed 8,720 cases in 2022, 0.02% referred to prosecution
02
Oregon DWDA: 100% compliance with reporting, no prosecutions since 1997
03
Canada Bill C-7 expanded MAiD to non-terminal in 2021, leading to 7% waiver of capacity assessment
04
Belgium Federal Control Commission reviewed 2,966 cases in 2021, 0.1% disciplinary
05
Switzerland Article 115 penal code allows PAS but bans euthanasia promotion, Dignitas operates under this
06
California End of Life Option Act passed 2015, renewed 2021, no residency requirement change
07
Netherlands 2002 Termination of Life Act requires due care criteria, 90% GPs involved
08
US Supreme Court Glucksberg 1997 upheld no federal right to PAD, enabling state laws
09
Australia all 6 states legalized VAD by 2022, federal territories pending
10
New Zealand End of Life Choice Act 67% referendum yes in 2020, effective 2021
11
Spain Organic Law 3/2021 regulated PAD, 18-month terminal prognosis required
12
Portugal Law 20/2023 decriminalized euthanasia, operational July 2023
13
Canada MAiD 2022: 17 ineligible due to mental illness exclusion pending 2024
14
Oregon law requires two oral requests 15 days apart, written request, mental competency
15
Belgium 2014 child euthanasia law: no cases reported by 2021, strict conditions
16
Washington 2008 voter initiative 1000, similar to Oregon
17
Montana Baxter v State 2009 Supreme Court: PAD constitutional under dignity
18
Colombia Constitutional Court 2014-2018 rulings progressive on PAD, no age limit
19
Hawaii 2018 law via HB2739, first use 2022
20
Vermont patient choice via legislature 2013
Interpretation
Legal and Policy Interpretation
The data suggests that when physician-assisted death is regulated with transparency and stringent safeguards, it functions less like a moral free-for-all and more like a tightly-run ethical audit, with society’s final checkmark being the near-total absence of prosecutions.
03 · Category
Methods and Procedures24 stats
01
Oregon DWDA medications: 90% secobarbital or combination in 2022, average time to unconsciousness 3 minutes
02
Netherlands 2022: barbiturates used in 98% euthanasia, lethal injection standard
03
Canada MAiD 2022: 90% clinician-administered, 10% self-administered, average time 5-10 days post-provision
04
Belgium 2021: intravenous thiopental/pancuronium in 95%, oral rare
05
Switzerland PAS: sodium pentobarbital oral 15g dose standard at Dignitas, 99% success
06
California 2022: DDMP2 protocol (diazepam, digoxin, morphine, propranolol) used in 70%
07
Oregon 2022: 6.5% of ingestions took over 45 minutes to cause death, 3% complications reported
08
Washington 2022: 85% of deaths within 40 minutes post-ingestion
09
New Zealand 2022: intravenous preferred in 80%, self-administration 20%
10
Spain 2022: subcutaneous or IV sedatives/muscle relaxants in all cases
11
Canada Track 1 (terminal): 98% injection, average 11.9 days from request
12
Netherlands PAS oral barbiturate: average 20 minutes to death
13
Victoria Australia 2022: 70% self-administered oral, 30% practitioner
14
Oregon historical: shift to cheaper DDMP2 from seconal, 50% in 2022
15
Belgium: 5% cases used neuromuscular blockers alone precaution
16
Switzerland: anti-emetic pre-medication standard for 15g pentobarbital
17
Hawaii 2022: all self-administered oral secobarbital
18
Canada 2022: 81% deaths same day as provision
19
Netherlands 2022: 1% organ donation after euthanasia, mostly kidneys
20
California: average time to death 10.5 minutes post-ingestion 2022
21
Vermont 2022: 90% oral ingestion, no complications noted
22
Luxembourg: propofol/relaxants IV standard
23
Oregon 2022: 25% required anti-nausea meds with lethal dose
24
Belgium 2021: average procedure time 10 minutes
Interpretation
Methods and Procedures Interpretation
The global tapestry of medically assisted death reveals a poignant and pragmatic landscape, where nations have meticulously standardized their pharmacological farewells—from the swift barbiturate coma of the Low Countries to the lingering, dignity-affirming protocols of North America—each reflecting a profound cultural calculus of compassion, cost, and control.
04 · Category
Outcomes and Complications23 stats
01
Oregon DWDA 2022: 0.4% patients regained consciousness after ingesting, no deaths from regaining
02
Netherlands 2022: 0.3% technical problems in procedures, all resolved without issue
03
Canada MAiD 2022: 3.5% clinical complications, mostly prolonged death <1 hour
04
Belgium 2021: 1.2% cases required additional drugs due to failure
05
Switzerland Dignitas: <1% regurgitation incidents, no failures reported 2022
06
California 2022: 4% took >1 hour to die, 2% seizures noted but non-fatal
07
Oregon historical 1998-2022: 6 complications per 100 ingestions avg, mostly nausea/vomiting
08
Washington 2022: 92% unconscious within 15 min, 5% interventions needed
09
New Zealand 2022: 98% death within 3 hours, no major complications
10
Spain 2022: 100% successful procedures, no complications logged
11
Canada 2022: 0.6% patient awoke after sedation, intervention given
12
Netherlands: 2.3% family distress post-procedure in reviews
13
Victoria Australia 2022: 6% longer deaths >48 hours rare
14
Oregon 2022: median time to death 13 minutes for DDMP2 vs 4 min secobarbital
15
Belgium: 0.5% unexpected awakenings, all managed
16
Hawaii 2022: all deaths confirmed, no complications reported
17
Canada MAiD: 96% rated peaceful by clinicians 2022
18
Netherlands 2022: 99.7% due care criteria met
19
California: 1% required rescue after partial ingestion
20
Vermont 2022: 95% death within 30 min
21
Luxembourg 2022: no complications in 332 cases
22
Oregon 25-year: 367 ingested but did not die, recovered
23
Belgium 2021: 98% immediate death post-injection
Interpretation
Outcomes and Complications Interpretation
The data paints a surprisingly consistent picture: while no medical procedure is flawless, modern physician-assisted death protocols are remarkably effective and peaceful, with the vast majority of cases unfolding as intended and minor complications swiftly managed, much like any other carefully regulated end-of-life care.
05 · Category
Prevalence and Utilization29 stats
01
In Oregon, 367 prescriptions for lethal medications under the Death with Dignity Act were written in 2022, marking a 23.3% increase from 298 in 2021
02
Netherlands reported 8,720 cases of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in 2022, representing 4.56% of all deaths, up from 8,297 in 2021
03
Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program recorded 13,241 cases in 2022, accounting for 4.1% of all deaths, a 31% increase from 10,064 in 2021
04
Belgium had 2,966 euthanasia cases in 2021, comprising 2.5% of total deaths, with a 10.5% rise from 2020
05
In Victoria, Australia, 274 permits were issued for voluntary assisted dying in 2022, with 231 deaths occurring, representing a rapid uptake since legalization in 2019
06
Switzerland's Dignitas clinic assisted 197 deaths in 2022, primarily foreigners, continuing a trend of steady increase
07
Oregon saw 278 patients ingest lethal medications in 2021, with 94% having cancer as terminal diagnosis
08
Netherlands euthanasia cases reached 7,666 in 2020 despite COVID-19, 4.1% of deaths
09
Canada MAiD cases surged to 10,064 in 2021, 3.3% of deaths
10
New Zealand's first full year of End of Life Choice Act saw 302 assisted deaths in 2022, 0.63% of deaths
11
Spain recorded 581 assisted dying cases in 2022 under the new law
12
Portugal approved 56 euthanasia cases in its first operational year 2023
13
Oregon's DWDA utilization rate stabilized at 0.62% of deaths in 2022
14
Belgium's euthanasia numbers grew 11.1% to 2,700 in 2020
15
California's End of Life Option Act had 853 aid-in-dying prescriptions in 2022
16
Washington state reported 306 uses in 2022 under its Death with Dignity law
17
Netherlands saw 812 cases of physician-assisted suicide specifically in 2022, 9.3% of total euthanasia/AS
18
Canada MAiD non-eligible referrals reached 6,112 in 2022
19
Oregon DWDA prescriptions per capita: 8.5 per 10,000 deaths in 2022
20
Belgium pediatric euthanasia: 2 cases approved since 2014 law change up to 2021
21
Queensland, Australia VAD: 50 permits in first 6 months of 2023
22
Colombia's tutela court rulings led to 59 PAD cases by 2022
23
Luxembourg euthanasia: 332 cases in 2022, 1.42% of deaths
24
Montana's court-enabled PAD: estimated 50-100 cases annually post-Baxter ruling
25
Vermont DWDA: 55 prescriptions in 2022
26
Hawaii End-of-Life Choice: 20 cases in first year 2022
27
Netherlands combined euthanasia/AS rate: 5.1% in 2019 pre-COVID
28
Canada MAiD Track 2 (non-terminal): 463 cases in 2022, 3.5% of total
29
Oregon 25-year cumulative DWDA deaths: 2,518 by 2022
Interpretation
Prevalence and Utilization Interpretation
The numbers paint a sobering picture: across diverse legal landscapes, the right to a physician-hastened death is not merely being chosen but is becoming an established, and increasingly common, final chapter, suggesting that when offered a legal off-ramp from unbearable suffering, a small but growing number of people will take it.
06 · Category
Public Opinion and Attitudes21 stats
01
Gallup poll May 2022: 72% Americans support euthanasia for pain, steady since 2013
02
Pew Research 2021: 65% favor legal doctor-assisted suicide for terminal patients
03
YouGov UK 2023: 78% support assisted dying legalization
04
Ipsos Canada 2022: 86% support MAiD for terminal illness, 59% for non-terminal suffering
05
Gallup Netherlands 2021: 90% public approval of euthanasia practice
06
Rasmussen US 2023: 75% support PAD for terminal patients under 6 months
07
BBC UK poll 2022: 64% yes to change law for assisted dying
08
Angus Reid Canada 2023: 77% oppose mental illness alone for MAiD
09
Gallup Australia 2022: 80% support voluntary euthanasia laws
10
Pew global 2013: 62% median support in Western Europe for PAD
11
YouGov US 2023: 68% support doctor-assisted death for terminal illness
12
ComRes UK 2019: 82% MPs support assisted dying, public higher
13
Nanos Canada 2022: 80% support current MAiD framework
14
Gallup NZ 2020: 76% voted yes in referendum
15
Ifop France 2022: 94% support active euthanasia
16
Morning Consult US 2023: 65% favor national legalization of PAD
17
Savanta UK 2023: 75% public back assisted dying bill
18
Leger Canada 2023: 62% support expansion to mental illness with safeguards
19
Gallup international 2018: 58% global support for euthanasia, higher in secular nations
20
Cato US 2022: 80% libertarians support PAD legalization
21
Kaiser Family Foundation 2021: 59% Americans support but concerns on coercion
Interpretation
Public Opinion and Attitudes Interpretation
While a substantial majority across Western nations consistently endorses the right to a medically hastened death, the devil is in the details, revealing a firm public consensus for terminal suffering but a sharp drop in support when the debate shifts to mental anguish alone.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Physician Assisted Death Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/physician-assisted-death-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Physician Assisted Death Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/physician-assisted-death-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Physician Assisted Death Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/physician-assisted-death-statistics.
Sources & references
42 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level