Mapping Sources of Assisted Dying Regulation in Belgium: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

Belgium has over 20 years of experience regulating assisted dying (AD). While much research considers this end-of-life practice, no studies have comprehensively analysed the various sources of regulation that govern it, including law, professional standards, and ethics. A scoping review identified all sources of regulation that guide AD practice, and their regulatory functions. Databases and reference lists were searched for records which met inclusion criteria between 11/2/22 and 25/3/22. Existing scholarship was used to identify sources of regulation, and thematically analyse their functions. Of the initial sample of 1364 records, 107 were included. Six sources of regulation were identified: law, policies, professional standards, training, advisory documents, and system design. Three regulatory functions were identified: prescribing conduct, scaffolding to support practice, and monitoring the system. The Belgian AD regulatory framework is multifaceted, complex, and fragmented. Providers must navigate and reconcile numerous sources of guidance providing this form of end-of-life care.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: BPW and LW were engaged by the Victorian, Western Australian and Queensland governments to provide the legislatively mandated training for doctors and health professionals involved in voluntary assisted dying. MA is employed on the Queensland and Western Australian projects and contributed to the training content. LW has been appointed to the Queensland Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests.