Should we legislate again on end-of-life care?

The law of February 2, 2016 and successive plans to develop palliative care have not prevented the issue of end-of-life support from once again being at the heart of public debate in the context of the 2018 Estates General on Bioethics. The summary report on the debates, published in June 2018, shows opposition between supporters of the status quo and advocates of new legislative developments in favor of legalizing assisted suicide or euthanasia. Three legislative proposals were tabled as early as the end of 2017 and were relayed by a tribune of 156 deputies calling for the adoption "without delay" of a new law recognizing "patients at the end of life the free disposal of their bodies."

A new bill to guarantee and strengthen the rights of people at the end of life was submitted to the National Assembly on January 26, 2021.

Article 1 enshrines the right to request active medical assistance in dying for any person of full age and capacity, in the advanced or terminal phase of a serious and incurable condition, causing unbearable physical pain or psychological suffering.

Should we legislate again? Should we take a closer look at how medical teams implement these provisions to understand the obstacles and levers to better support for patients at the end of life? These questions were already asked in 2015, they are being asked again today.

Speakers:

• Johanne Saison is Professor of Public Law at the University of Lille, CRDP, ERDP.
• Elisa Turck is a doctoral student at the University of Lille, CRDP, ERDP.
• Magali Pierrat is head of the Palliative Medicine Department and head of the Palliative Medicine Clinic, CHRU de Lille.

Conference organized in partnership with CHRU de Lille.

For more information:
https://www.meshs.fr/page/accompagnement_fin_vie