The use of drugs with a life-shortening effect in end-of-life care in neonates and infants.

Objective: The purpose was to describe the use of drugs with a possible or certain life-shortening effect in end-of-life care in infants and to evaluate the possibly lethal effect.

Design: For 292/298 deaths of live born infants (<1 year), in a 1-year period (between 1 August 1999 and 31 July 2000) in Flanders, Belgium, the attending physician could be identified and was sent an anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaires relating to deaths directly preceded by the administration of drugs were reviewed by a multi-disciplinary panel.