End of life: delayed again, bill finally to be introduced ‘in February’

The text is still under review. The bill “on the French model for the end of life”, a promise of Emmanuel Macron, will be “presented in February”, following a ten-year plan for palliative care, Minister for Professions Agnès Firmin Le Baudot said on Friday. . health.

On this text, which was expected and sensitive, the executive branch postponed the deadline several times, much to the disappointment of supporters of the legislative change.

After a citizens’ congress on the end of life, the majority of which favored active assistance in dying, Emmanuel Macron asked his ministers to prepare a bill “before the end of the summer” of 2023.

“In particular, we have had to deepen the maintenance strategy even more than we expected, which has led to a loosening of the schedule,” the minister delegate said in an interview with Le Figaro newspaper published online on Friday evening.

Complex of palliative care and assistance in dying

In detail, the announcement of the new ten-year palliative care strategy “will take place in January, and some of its elements that fall under the law should be integrated into the text,” the minister clarifies. “The French end-of-life model bill will therefore be presented in February,” she adds.

“We must understand that the new French model of end-of-life care is a whole that includes strengthening palliative care and active assisted dying for those who wish it, under certain conditions established by the President of the Republic. – says Agnès Le Baudot. “In such a complex matter, you need to take the necessary time and weigh your words.”

Regarding the palliative care reform, the minister promises a “small revolution.” “Their scope should expand to proactively anticipate this assistance as soon as a serious illness is declared,” she states.

New “support houses”

Among the new features proposed in Professor Frank Chauvin’s report (around the 2024-2034 plan) on palliative care and presented to the government this week, “new support homes, the missing link between hospital and home, will enable this revolution in care to be realized,” explains Agnès Firmin Le Baudot.

“Some aspects of the strategy can be implemented very quickly without waiting for legislation, others cannot,” she further points out.

“The mother of battles is the training of professionals,” says the minister, who suggests that “this aspect can happen quickly.” Conversely, other aspects “will take more time to implement, such as creating a university specialty” in supportive care, she clarifies.

One aspect remains divided

The palliative care aspect is fairly agreed upon, but the shape of the future “active assistance in dying”, the most controversial measure, remains dependent on the decisions of Emmanuel Macron. In theory, there are three options: assisted suicide, assisted suicide other than euthanasia (with a gesture from a medical professional), assisted suicide, and elective euthanasia. According to some observers, the former seems out of the question.

Politically, the left largely defends assisted suicide and euthanasia, but is not unanimous; the right and far right are hostile to him; the presidential majority is divided. The executive also has to deal with the apparent opposition of most caregivers and religions.

In September, the minister said he thought “the president has been a little reticent” about active assisted dying. And “when he has doubts about something, he waits as late as possible to make a decision.” “His verdict is in, but he thinks the moment is right,” another minister admitted in recent days, stressing that “this is a topic that will divide” and risks fueling opponents’ “extremely violent campaign.”