A proposed law concerning end-of-life care is facing renewed opposition from a coalition of medical professionals and legal experts in France, just as it returns to the National Assembly for a second reading on Tuesday. The legislation, often referred to as the “right to die with assistance,” aims to allow individuals facing a grave and incurable illness to request medical assistance in ending their lives.
Critics, including Dr. Alexis Burnod, head of palliative care at the Institut Curie in Paris, and Professor Didier Sicard, former president of the National Consultative Ethics Committee (CCNE), argue the bill represents a dangerous shift in societal values and medical practice. They contend the law risks normalizing assisted death and potentially undermining the focus on palliative care.
“We were therefore misled with biased polls and a desire concealed by grandiloquent language,” Burnod and Sicard, along with other dissenting voices, stated in a recent opinion piece published in L’Opinion on February 16th. They suggest the current proposal does not align with the views or expectations of the French public, having already been rejected by the Senate after initial passage in the National Assembly.
Dr. Burnod, speaking to Franceinfo in April 2024, expressed concerns that the law could lead to the state “organizing the programmed death of people with the help of medicine.” He emphasized the unique nature of each patient’s situation, suggesting a standardized legal framework may not adequately address individual needs, and circumstances. He further elaborated in a recent interview with RCF radio, stressing the importance of individual conscience in such sensitive matters.
The proposed law would permit medical assistance in dying for adult patients capable of expressing their will, with a prognosis of a short or medium-term life expectancy. The specific methods of assistance – whether through physician-assisted suicide or direct euthanasia – are not explicitly defined in the text, a point of contention for opponents.
The debate comes after the bill was presented to the Council of Ministers, and as the National Assembly prepares to vote on the second reading. The outcome of this vote remains uncertain, with ongoing debate surrounding the ethical and practical implications of the legislation.
