Colleagues
I have updated the section on New Zealand to reflect the latest annual report as attached and online at: https://www.
- 1210 people were euthanased or assisted to suicide between 7 November 2021 and 31 March 2025; with 472 such deaths between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.
- Deaths by euthanasia and assisted suicide accounted for 1.25% of all deaths in New Zealand in 2024-25 - up 49% from 2022-23.
- Only 19 (1.6%) of the 1175 applicants in 2024-25 were referred to a psychiatrist and of these 3 were found not to be competent to make an infirmed decision.
The fourth annual report covers the period form 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 and reports on a further 472 deaths by assisted suicide or euthanasia. This represents 1.25% of all deaths in New Zealand in this period – a 49% increase since 2022-23.
- Of these 472 deaths, 450 (95.3%) were by euthanasia. Of the 1210 deaths in total since legalisation, 1130 (93.4%) were by euthanasia.
