Members of the French National Assembly debate and decide on legislation concerning assisted death.
The French National Assembly voted on Tuesday to consider a bill advocating for the right to euthanasia under specific circumstances. The legislation, which will be subsequently tabled in the Senate, aims to provide terminally ill individuals with a future option for euthanasia under strict criteria. Olivier Falorni, a ruling party MP who sponsored the bill, stated that it maintains a delicate balance while outlining stringent parameters.
Currently, euthanasia is prohibited in France. In the commencement of his second term, President Emmanuel Macron called for a nationwide discussion and new regulations surrounding the subject. To address concerns from various lawmakers, the proposed legislation is split, permitting the independent passage of provisions related to expanding palliative care. Deputies have been granted discretionary voting rights.
Opponents of the bill primarily hail from the right-wing and right-populist sectors. The legislation specifies that patients must meet strict eligibility criteria, necessitating a "serious and incurable" illness, either terminal or in the "advanced stage." Additionally, patients should endure persistent physical or mental suffering that fails to respond to treatment.
In most instances, patients are required to independently administer the prescribed, lethal medication. However, if unable to do so, medical professionals may administer it. Multiple individuals should always be part of the decision-making process.
The bill provoked scrutiny, with critics suggesting it could exert psychological pressure on the ill to seek premature death. The Senate, which leans right, holds the authority to amend the law. A return to the National Assembly is expected at the beginning of 2023.
Enrichment Data suggests the proposed bill establishes rigorous criteria for euthanasia, aiming to prevent its overuse while maintaining tight regulation. Patients must be 18 or older, struggling with a terminal or advanced stage ailment. Unbearable psychological or physical suffering that does not respond to treatment is required for eligibility. The patient must engage in an informed, consistent decision-making process until the moment of the procedure, excluding individuals in a deep coma or those with advanced Alzheimer's who previously requested euthanasia but are incompetent at the time of the procedure.
Medical professionals review patient requests, and a reflection period follows. Patients are expected to self-administer the lethal substance, but medical personnel may assist if necessary. The procedure is meant to occur over a three-month period following approval. The law offers one of Europe's strictest euthanasia regulations, with more restrictive criteria compared to countries that uphold previous requests if the patient loses consciousness.
- The community policy drafted by the French National Assembly, focusing on euthanasia under specific circumstances, includes rigorous criteria to prevent overuse and maintain tight regulation.
- In this legislation, patients seeking euthanasia must meet stringent eligibility criteria, including being of legal age (18 or older), having a terminal or advanced stage medical-condition, and experiencing unbearable psychological or physical suffering that does not respond to treatment.
- The health-and-wellness of patients is further addressed in the proposed policy, with an emphasis on the informed, consistent decision-making process they must engage in until the moment of the procedure, excluding individuals in a deep coma or those with advanced Alzheimer's who previously requested euthanasia but are incompetent at the time of the procedure.
- With regard to policy-and-legislation, the bill specifies that medical professionals review patient requests, followed by a reflection period, and stipulates that the procedure, if administered by medical personnel, should occur over a three-month period following approval, making it one of Europe's strictest euthanasia regulations.
