Spain

Overview

Spain passed the Organic Law on the Regulation of Euthanasia (LORE) in March 2021, coming into force in June 2021. Spain became the fourth country in Europe to legalize euthanasia, providing access through the national health system as a covered health benefit (Prestación de Ayuda para Morir).

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be a Spanish national, legal resident, or hold a long-term residency permit
• Must be 18 or older
• Must have full mental capacity at the time of the request
• Must have a serious and incurable disease, OR a chronic debilitating condition causing intolerable physical or psychological suffering
• Suffering must be directly related to the disease; terminal prognosis is not required
• Two written requests, at least 15 days apart
• Second independent physician must be consulted
• A regional Guarantee and Evaluation Commission reviews each case

The Process

• First written request to responsible physician
• Deliberation period of at least 15 days
• Second written request confirmed in person
• Physician consults a second independent doctor
• Regional Commission reviews and authorizes (or denies)
• Procedure carried out within 15 days of authorization; both physician-administered and self-administered options available

Key Organizations & Resources

• Spanish Ministry of Health — sanidad.gob.es
• Derecho a Morir Dignamente (DMD Spain)
• Regional Guarantee and Evaluation Commissions (one per autonomous community)

Legal Contacts

• Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Sanidad) — Official source for the Organic Law on Euthanasia (Ley Orgánica 3/2021), regulatory guidance, and national access pathways. sanidad.gob.es
• Regional Comisiones de Garantía y Evaluación — Each autonomous community has its own commission that reviews euthanasia requests and evaluates cases for legal compliance. Contact your regional health authority (Consejería de Salud) for the local commission.
• Derecho a Morir Dignamente (DMD España) — The national patient-rights association; provides legal information, advance-directive support, and advocacy. dmde.es

Medical Contacts

• Organización Médica Colegial de España (OMC) — The national medical council; publishes ethical guidance and the conscientious-objection registry for physicians. cgcom.es
• Sociedad Española de Cuidados Paliativos (SECPAL) — The national palliative care society; provides a directory of specialist palliative teams across Spain. secpal.com
• Regional Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS) Providers — Euthanasia is delivered through the public health system. Your family doctor (médico de cabecera) is the first point of contact for initiating a request.

Important: Contact details and eligibility requirements change. Always verify information directly with each organisation before taking any action.