France Assembly set to clear assisted dying bill for incurably ill adults
France's National Assembly is poised to pass a bill allowing assisted dying for some terminally ill adults. The measure would mark a major shift in end-of-life care, subject to constitutional review.
France's National Assembly is set to give final approval on Wednesday to a bill that would allow adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication, marking the latest step in a debate over end-of-life care that has run for years. The lower house is widely expected to pass the measure after backing it in three earlier readings, completing parliament's work on legislation announced by President Emmanuel Macron more than three years ago.
The proposed law mainly provides for medically assisted suicide by allowing patients to receive and self-administer lethal medication under strict conditions. Only those whose physical condition prevents them from doing so would be allowed to receive assistance from a doctor or a nurse. However, the law would take effect only after a review by the Constitutional Council, which is expected to be asked to examine it once it is adopted.
The Senate, where conservatives hold a majority, rejected the bill that would allow France to join other European countries that permit, under certain conditions, assisted suicide or euthanasia. Under France's legislative process, however, the National Assembly has the final say when the two houses disagree. Senate President Gerard Larcher and Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said they would refer the bill to the Constitutional Council, which will have up to a month to decide whether it complies with the Constitution.
Lecornu said, "Extensive debates have taken place in the National Assembly on this bill. However, discussions in the Senate did not allow for such an in-depth examination, in order to produce legislation that addresses both the aspirations of its supporters and the concerns of those who are worried about how it will be implemented."
Under the bill, patients seeking to end their lives would have to be at least 18 and either French citizens or legal residents of France. A doctor would first have to consult a team of healthcare professionals and then confirm that the patient has a serious and incurable illness that is life-threatening. The patient must be in an advanced or terminal stage, be experiencing pain that cannot be relieved or is unbearable, and be seeking lethal medication of their own free will.
Lawmakers have specified that psychological suffering alone would not qualify a person for medically assisted dying. People with severe psychiatric disorders or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's would not be eligible. Patients would have to make the request themselves, after which health professionals would review it within 15 days. They would then have to confirm the request after a reflection period of at least two days.
If approved, they could take the lethal medication at a time and place of their choice, including at home or in a healthcare facility, and in the presence of loved ones if they wish. On the chosen date, the doctor or nurse would have to check that the person still wishes to proceed and remain nearby in case complications arise. France's national health insurance system would cover all related costs.
A 2023 report found that most French people are in favour of legalising end-of-life options, and opinion polls have shown rising support over the past two decades. The Association for the Right to Die With Dignity said the law would allow people "to choose to end unbearable suffering, freely and with full awareness". Its president, Jonathan Denis, said in a statement that "a law that creates a new right never forces anyone to exercise it. It does, however, ensure that every person ... can remain at the heart of medical decisions that concern them and have their wishes respected."
Opponents say the measure could put pressure on older people and those living with illness or disabilities. In an open letter to Macron, the anti-euthanasia group Alliance Vita said, "every effort must be made to ensure that people who are suffering have immediate access to palliative care and support. Presenting death as a desirable solution can never be an acceptable response to suffering and is contrary to human dignity."
In recent years, many French people have travelled to neighbouring countries where medically assisted suicide or euthanasia is legal. Medically assisted suicide generally involves a patient voluntarily taking lethal medication prescribed by a doctor, while euthanasia involves a doctor or another healthcare professional administering a lethal injection at the patient's request. Euthanasia is legal under certain conditions in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Colombia, Australia and New Zealand, while some of those countries also allow assisted suicide, which is legal in Switzerland, Austria and several US states. France's lower house is now expected to back its bill, with the Constitutional Council's review set to decide when the law can come into force.
With PTI Inputs
France's National Assembly is set to give final approval on Wednesday to a bill that would allow adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication, marking the latest step in a debate over end-of-life care that has run for years. The lower house is widely expected to pass the measure after backing it in three earlier readings, completing parliament's work on legislation announced by President Emmanuel Macron more than three years ago.
The proposed law mainly provides for medically assisted suicide by allowing patients to receive and self-administer lethal medication under strict conditions. Only those whose physical condition prevents them from doing so would be allowed to receive assistance from a doctor or a nurse. However, the law would take effect only after a review by the Constitutional Council, which is expected to be asked to examine it once it is adopted.
The Senate, where conservatives hold a majority, rejected the bill that would allow France to join other European countries that permit, under certain conditions, assisted suicide or euthanasia. Under France's legislative process, however, the National Assembly has the final say when the two houses disagree. Senate President Gerard Larcher and Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said they would refer the bill to the Constitutional Council, which will have up to a month to decide whether it complies with the Constitution.
Lecornu said, "Extensive debates have taken place in the National Assembly on this bill. However, discussions in the Senate did not allow for such an in-depth examination, in order to produce legislation that addresses both the aspirations of its supporters and the concerns of those who are worried about how it will be implemented."
Under the bill, patients seeking to end their lives would have to be at least 18 and either French citizens or legal residents of France. A doctor would first have to consult a team of healthcare professionals and then confirm that the patient has a serious and incurable illness that is life-threatening. The patient must be in an advanced or terminal stage, be experiencing pain that cannot be relieved or is unbearable, and be seeking lethal medication of their own free will.
Lawmakers have specified that psychological suffering alone would not qualify a person for medically assisted dying. People with severe psychiatric disorders or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's would not be eligible. Patients would have to make the request themselves, after which health professionals would review it within 15 days. They would then have to confirm the request after a reflection period of at least two days.
If approved, they could take the lethal medication at a time and place of their choice, including at home or in a healthcare facility, and in the presence of loved ones if they wish. On the chosen date, the doctor or nurse would have to check that the person still wishes to proceed and remain nearby in case complications arise. France's national health insurance system would cover all related costs.
A 2023 report found that most French people are in favour of legalising end-of-life options, and opinion polls have shown rising support over the past two decades. The Association for the Right to Die With Dignity said the law would allow people "to choose to end unbearable suffering, freely and with full awareness". Its president, Jonathan Denis, said in a statement that "a law that creates a new right never forces anyone to exercise it. It does, however, ensure that every person ... can remain at the heart of medical decisions that concern them and have their wishes respected."
Opponents say the measure could put pressure on older people and those living with illness or disabilities. In an open letter to Macron, the anti-euthanasia group Alliance Vita said, "every effort must be made to ensure that people who are suffering have immediate access to palliative care and support. Presenting death as a desirable solution can never be an acceptable response to suffering and is contrary to human dignity."
In recent years, many French people have travelled to neighbouring countries where medically assisted suicide or euthanasia is legal. Medically assisted suicide generally involves a patient voluntarily taking lethal medication prescribed by a doctor, while euthanasia involves a doctor or another healthcare professional administering a lethal injection at the patient's request. Euthanasia is legal under certain conditions in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Colombia, Australia and New Zealand, while some of those countries also allow assisted suicide, which is legal in Switzerland, Austria and several US states. France's lower house is now expected to back its bill, with the Constitutional Council's review set to decide when the law can come into force.
With PTI Inputs
