France's Assisted Dying Law Ruled Constitutional... "Does Not Violate Principle of Dignity"

France's constitutional review body gave final approval yesterday (the 14th) to an assisted dying bill that allows adult patients suffering from incurable illnesses to end their lives with medical assistance, according to local time.

According to the daily Le Figaro, the French Constitutional Council ruled on the same day that all provisions of the assisted dying bill comply with the constitution.

With this decision, France joins countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada in legalizing assisted dying.

Passed by the French parliament last month following years of debate, the bill grants the right to assisted dying to certain adults suffering from incurable illnesses.

To be eligible, individuals must be adults aged 18 or older and must either hold French nationality or reside stably and continuously in France.

They must also be suffering from a fatal, incurable illness that is untreatable and in a progressive or terminal stage, experiencing persistent and unbearable physical or mental suffering that cannot be controlled by medical treatment.

In addition, individuals must be able to express their intentions voluntarily and clearly on their own.

Family members cannot submit proxy applications for unconscious or comatose patients.

Simple mental illness or old age alone does not qualify a person for eligibility.

When a patient requests assisted dying, a review panel consisting of doctors and experts will examine whether the conditions are met over a 15-day period to decide on approval.

Even after approval is granted, patients must have a reflection period of at least two days before making a final decision.

Patients must administer the lethal substance themselves. However, the intervention of a doctor or nurse is permitted only in cases where self-administration is impossible due to physical paralysis or similar conditions.

Medical staff may refuse to participate in the assisted dying procedure based on their personal beliefs or conscience. In such cases, they must refer the patient to other medical staff.

Furthermore, the law specifies that assisted dying is not to be classified simply as suicide, establishing protective measures so that existing life insurance payouts are not denied even if death occurs through assisted dying.

The assisted dying bill was strongly pushed by President Emmanuel Macron, who succeeded in his re-election bid in 2022.

Proponents argued that the bill grants patients waiting for death amidst extreme suffering the right to end their lives with dignity.

On the other hand, conservative opposition parties, religious circles, and parts of the medical community have strongly opposed it, arguing that it undermines bioethics.

After reviewing the arguments from both sides, the Constitutional Council ruled that the legal procedures and requirements allowing patients to receive lethal drugs with a doctor's approval upon their own request do not violate the principle of protecting human dignity.

However, the Constitutional Council issued certain interpretive guidelines, such as recognizing the right of conscientious objection for pharmacists in addition to doctors and nurses.

The Élysée Palace stated in a release, "By recognizing that this law complies with constitutional principles and values, the Constitutional Council provides essential guarantees to the public," adding, "We can now proceed with the implementation of this reform with the conviction that it rests on democratic, ethical, and constitutional foundations."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.