Emmanuel Macron largely revealed its content in the interview he gave to The cross and to Releasepublished on March 10. The law project “relating to the support of the sick and the end of life” was transmitted, Friday March 15, at the Council of State. The text carefully details the steps that mark access to a “assisted dying”. The decision to let the patient kill himself rests on the shoulders of a single doctor.
The text of the law – to which The world had access – includes two chapters and fourteen articles. Eight of them are devoted to“assisted dying”. The expression implicitly refers to two operating modes. The first is the rule: “the administration of a lethal substance” prescribed by a doctor is “performed by the person themselves”. Or the model of assisted suicide. The second, which relates to euthanasia, is the exception: if the person “is not physically able to do so”she can ask “to a doctor, nurse or volunteer designated by the person” to administer the product.
L’“assisted dying” is a possibility open to adults, French or “residing stably and regularly in France”, suffering from a “serious and incurable condition involving [leur] short or medium term vital prognosis ». The patient must present “refractory or unbearable physical or psychological suffering linked to their condition”, he must be able to expose his “free and enlightened will”.
The text specifies that “the doctor who agrees to examine this request must offer palliative care if the sick person does not already benefit from it”. The person has a reflection period of “two days minimum”, “without maximum delay”to confirm his wish for a “assisted dying”.
“Conscience clause”
In his interview, Emmanuel Macron indicated that he “it is up to a medical team to decide, collectively and transparently, what action it takes on this request”. The bill indicates, however, that the agreement given to the“assisted dying” is taken by a single professional. The person to whom the patient addresses their request, who can be their attending physician, a specialist at the hospital, a practitioner in town or in a nursing home.
This doctor must request the” notice “ of another “doctor, who does not know the person, specialist in pathology” and a “paramedical professional who works with her”. He can also turn to a nurse, caregiver, or even a psychologist, who is used to being at the patient’s bedside. Ultimately, it is the doctor who conducts the procedure who decides. He has a maximum of fifteen days after the request to make a decision. In the event of refusal by the practitioner to authorize“assisted dying”the patient can refer the matter to the administrative court.
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