Euthanasia soon legal in France ? “We must call a spade a spade”, according to the Ethics Committee

Emmanuel Macron categorically refuses to talk about euthanasia and assisted suicide. in his end-of-life bill. However, certain measures provided for in the text are very close…

The end-of-life bill must not rhyme with assisted suicide or euthanasia. "Words are important and we must try to name reality well without creating ambiguityïtés" , insistedé Emmanuel Macron with Libération and La Croixin an interview published on March 10. Also, he excluded the two terms from the text by preferring the expression “help” to them. die". But by wanting to avoid all "ambiguousïtés", would the Head of State not be playing on words by creating confusion ?

This is what is being blamed; by certain members of the Committee National Ethics Advisory Board (CCNE), including professor and doctor Régis Aubry who notably directed the palliative care department of the Besanccedilon University Hospital. "I believe that there is a form of euphemism that I find personally a little dangerous. I think you have to call a spade a spade,” responded the health professional. on franceinfothe day after the publication of Emmanuel Macron's interview.

Emmanuel Macron tried to to draw a line differentiating euthanasia and assisted suicide measures planned for aid die. However, compared to the definitions given by the CCNE, the measures envisaged by the bill are very close to the acts that the head of state refuses to name. For the tenant of the Elysée, euthanasia "means the fact of ending someone's life with or even without his consent. But for the CCNE patient consent is an obligation to use   euthanasia which he defines as an "act intendedé &agrav; deliberately put an end to what is happening the life of a person suffering from a serious and incurable illness, ' her request, in order to put an end to a situation that she considers unbearable.

As for assisted suicide, this consists of: allow the patient to self-administer a medical product prescribed by the medical profession and under the supervision of the latter. The President of the Republic specifies for his part that aid to Dying implies commitment to the vital prognosis. short or medium term and that consequently "the choice is not between life and death since death is already there. l&agrav;", à the difference from assisted suicide. A condition which is not taken into account for assisted suicide.

Remains that according to the text on the end of life, which will be examined in Parliament à from the month of May and may further evolve, a patient having received a favorable opinion to receive aid for this purpose. The dying person will have to administer the lethal substance himself, but may entrust this task to someone else. a third party of his choice if he 'is not able to do so physically' Situations that correspond to the principles of euthanasia and assisted suicide as defined by the CCNE, before the addition of conditions and interpretations made explicit by the Head of State.

A "helpà die" so as not to rob the spirits ?

Emmanuel Macron's refusal to discuss euthanasia or assisted suicide could above all be explained by the imagination which surrounds these two terms. Some medical bodies, notably several palliative care organizations, are strongly opposed to this approach. the idea of ​​causing death and repeat that to proceed to death euthanasia or assisting in suicide "is not care", even if it's a wish' of the patient.

Instead of these divisive words, Emmanuel Macron relies on the expression “help & die" which suggests an idea of ​​solidarity with patients at the end of life. He also describes his text as a "law of fraternity" which consists of "global support for societyé through solidarity and fraternity of people who are going to die […] and who must be helped until the end. By excluding words that are too loaded to replace them with notions that are difficult to attack, isn't Emmanuel Macron trying to put all the chances on his side? to have the text adopted ? This did not, in any case, prevent the opponents from taking action. euthanasia to denounce a text that is too permissive or to defenders of the right to die with dignity to describe a bill that does not go far enough.