ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the legal aspects, from a European human rights perspective, of the recent case of a 17-year-old girl from the Netherlands who, for religious reasons, chose not to be inoculated against the measles and subsequently died as a result of the complications of the disease. The case law of the European Court of Human Rights tends to lean towards granting a right to personal autonomy, but is inconsistent when applied to religious practices. The author argues for a more consistent and coherent use of personal autonomy in all cases, including those where religion is involved.
