In April 3, when he received the members of the citizens’ convention on the end of life, the President of the Republic called for a new law on this subject. He briefly outlined what he called the “French model”and the limits of which would be as follows: the guarantee of “free and enlightened expression of will” ; “reiteration of choice” ; “the incurability of refractory, psychic and physical suffering”, “even the commitment of the vital prognosis” ; the absence of “social reason” actively assisted dying; exclusion of minors.
Let Emmanuel Macron be reassured – and with him the opponents of a freedom law – these limits exist wherever such legislation has been passed. Only the care of minors marks the particularity of certain foreign legislations. It was enacted in Belgium twelve years after the passage of the law and, in the Netherlands, twenty-two years later (for minors under 12), thus responding to the issue of their end of life and the consideration of their suffering, as necessary as for their elders.
Since it is necessary to define the contours of a French model, the president of the Association for the right to die with dignity (ADMD) should be allowed to participate in this work.
Reinforcement of means
Thus, in October 2018, a bill was submitted and voted on by ADMD members, during its 38e general meeting. Here are the main elements.
First of all, this bill lays down the principle of respect for the rights of patients and people at the end of life. It reaffirms the absolute need for truly universal access to palliative care, which requires a strengthening of resources in all French departments, and in particular in the twenty-one departments currently without a palliative care unit.
The text of the ADMD excludes minors from the outset to address only adults. The experience acquired after the vote of the law and its implementation for a few years will make it possible to specify the care that will have to be envisaged for minors at the end of life who endure inappeasable and intolerable suffering, and whose death is expected. in the foreseeable future.
Until the last moment
Then, this proposal aims to apply to any person in an advanced or terminal phase, even in the absence of a diagnosis of death in the short term, suffering from at least one serious and incurable condition, inflicting inappeasable physical or psychological suffering that she considers unbearable, or places her in a state of dependence which she considers incompatible with her dignity. Nowhere is there active assistance in dying for situations of unemployment, poor housing or isolation.
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