French Academy of Medicine supports assisted suicide under certain conditions

The authority responsible for advising the government on public health matters came out in favour of assisted suicide in exceptional cases, listing conditions and excluding euthanasia from its recommendations.

In an opinion published on Monday, France’s public body responsible for advising the government on public health matters, came out in favour of assisted suicide which it says entails making a lethal product available to patients by giving them the “ultimate freedom of choice”.

For patients suffering from a serious and incurable illness with a short-term vital prognosis, “the current legal framework is satisfactory”, the French body said, despite noting a “gap between the law and its application”.

Palliative care should be “developed” to make it more accessible and effective, it added.

However, for people with serious and incurable illnesses who are in “physical and psychological distress” but whose prognosis is not life-threatening in the short term, the question of assisted suicide must therefore be raised.

She wants this to be done “on an exceptional basis” and advocates amending current legislation to “respond to certain forms of suffering not covered by the current law”.

It rejects the possibility of introducing euthanasia, i.e. the administration of a lethal product by a third person, on the grounds that it “transgresses the Hippocratic Oath” taken by doctors, under which a carer undertakes never to cause a person’s death.

Lastly, the body considers safeguards essential before assisted suicide is carried out, should the French parliament decide to vote on this.

In particular, the provisions governing the decision-making process must be “very strict” in order to avoid the risk of abuses and “promote a dignified and peaceful end to life” for people who are already in a vulnerable situation.

Similarly, “very strict protective provisions” are “an absolute requirement” for people with disabilities. Minors and people suffering from psychiatric illnesses and depression should be excluded from the scope of assisted suicide, explain the members of the Académie.

The advice also advocates a “collegial assessment” before any decision is taken, prior support through palliative care and ensuring that the patient’s request is “informed, free and reiterated”.

While this advice is not binding on the government, it does contribute to the debate currently underway in France on changes to the legal framework governing the end of life.

Indeed, a bill to this effect will be presented by the government by the end of the summer.

The minister responsible for the issue, Agnès Firmin-Le Bodo, confirmed that the bill would include provisions on active assistance in dying, without giving any further details.

(Davide Basso | EURACTIV.fr)