From the entry into force of its regulation to the present, The year 2024 has been the year in which euthanasias were most practiced in Colombia, with 352that is an average of 29.3 proceedings of assisted death monthly, and with about one every 25 hours.
While the law recognizes decent death as a fundamental right, it is still surrounded by barrier time to decide when and how to die In cases where suffering is experienced by serious and incurable injuries or diseases.
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Euthanasia, decriminalized by the Constitutional Court since 1997, but without a law that legislates it specifically, was regulated 10 years ago, through a resolution of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Since then, more than 1,000 assisted death procedure have been practiced, according to the most recent figures collected by the Laboratory of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Deslab).
Euthanasia
Despite obstacles, progress has also been made, among others, it is noted that more and more figures on euthanasia; The fact that in 2021 the High Court removed from the environment the requirement to stop a disease in the terminal state, so it is no longer necessary to wait for the extreme deterioration to request it; as well as that concrete obligations have been created for national health system actors.
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“In the case of rights at the end of life, the transformation has been slow, but with firm steps. It is not less than in Colombia there are four regulated dignified death procedures – palliative care, adaptation of therapeutic effort, euthanasia and medically assisted suicide. And it is not less than the health system, with all the shortcomings that it has, each time it is better accommodated to the needs of the patients“He explained Lina Lara, director of the Pro Right Foundation to die with dignitycited by the newspaper El Tiempo.
Analysis
In it Report ‘Slow death #3: Current panorama of the figures and barriers of the right to die with Colombia’known in first by the same newspaper, the Organization Unfold revealed that Between 2015 and December 31, 2024 1,044 euthanasias had been practiced in the country.
According to the document, prepared with data from the Ministry of Health, The procedures multiplied by 88 in the last decade: they went from four in 2015 to 352 in 2024. However, in the last two years the growth rate showed a slowdown. While in 2024 the 352 cases represented an increase of 29.9 %compared to 271 of 2023, between 2023 and 2022 the increase had been 49.7 %, and between 2022 and 2021 it was 61.6 %. Despite these increases, euthanasia remains a marginal cause of death: last year it represented only 0.13 % of deaths in Colombia.
Euthanasia
Since 2021, applications submitted by patients are also registered. In total, Since then 2,491 requests have been received, of which in 2024 1,169 were counted. Contrast with the 352 procedures carried out that same year, the approval rate was 30.1 %, the lowest recorded so far. In 2023 the approval was 32.7 % (829 applications compared to 271 procedures), and in 2022 of 39.3 % (461 applications compared to 181 procedures).
The report warns that the approval rate presents regional differences. In 2024, Bogotá concentrated the largest number of cases, with a rate of 32.02 %; in Antioquia The figure amounted to 36.84 %; and in Risaraldaalthough with a lower volume, the highest rate was reached: 43.75 %, with 14 euthanasias compared to 32 applications.
Juan Martín Murillo Herrera
Portfolio journalist
