This May 27, 2025, the National Assembly crossed a historic CAP. Two laws expected for a long time have been adopted: one establishes a right to help die, the other strengthens the supply of palliative care in France.
End of life: The National Assembly adopts two laws
After two weeks of high tension debate, the National Assembly validated two major proposals on the end of life. The first, filed by the deputy Olivier Falorni, creates a right to help to die under strict conditions. The second aims to guarantee effective access to palliative care throughout the territory.
The text on aid to die was adopted by 305 votes to 199, after lively exchanges between political groups. The law framing palliative care has obtained the unanimity of the hemicycle. Two complementary texts, supposed to offer patients at the end of life a range of better supervised and more human choices.
Aid to die with strict access criteria and supervised procedure
The law provides that a person suffering from a serious, incurable, incurable, in advanced or terminal condition, may request help to die, provided that he meets five cumulative criteria:
- Be major;
- Of French or stable resident;
- Suffering from a serious and incurable disease, with a committed vital prognosis;
- Feel a refractory or psychological suffering refractory or deemed unbearable;
- And above all, be fully conscious and capable of expressing your will in a free and enlightened manner.
A referral doctor will be responsible for assessing the request of his patient, who must be written and cannot be formulated during a teleconsultation.
He will then convene a collegial meeting with at least one specialist in pathology, a caregiver involved in follow -up and, possibly, other stakeholders: psychologist, life assistant or trust designated by the patient. It is this doctor, and he alone, who will make the final decision.
Once the request has been validated, a maximum period of 15 days is granted to notify the patient. Then opens a period of reflection of at least 48 hours. If the patient confirms his request more than three months later, a new assessment is compulsory.
Finally, psychological suffering alone, without somatic attack, does not open up to help to die, explicitly stipulates the text. Altered discernment also constitutes an exclusion criterion.
A law passed for the improvement of palliative care
For the sake of balance, the assembly also voted an ambitious text on palliative care. He plans:
- The creation of 50 additional units by 2027;
- The recruitment of 1,000 professionals specializing in end -of -life support;
- The introduction of a right enforceable against palliative care, regardless of the place of residence;
- The establishment of accompaniment houses, reception structures for patients whose state is stabilized but who do not wish to die at home or in the hospital.
A personalized support plan is also provided for anyone diagnosed with a serious or entering loss of autonomy. The State provides an envelope of 300 million euros over three years to deploy these measures.
“”A law based on fears, lie and promotion of suicide“”
Asked about the subject, Dr. Alexis Burnod, a doctor in palliative care at the Institut Curie, does not chew his words: “This end -of -life bill is an unjust proposal, which is based on lies, fears and the promotion of suicide.“”
According to him, the text lacks clarity and disguises reality: “From the start, we have avoided the euthanasia and assisted suicide words. We just talk about a final appeal for patients at the end of their life, but it’s a lure.“”
He also points to the flaws of the planned medical system: “The principle of proposed collegiality is fragile: the patient should only see one doctor; A second doctor will be able to give his opinion, without necessarily in accordance with the first.“”
In his eyes, the law plays on collective emotion: “We play on fears, by focusing the situation on real and serious cases, certainly, but which remain exceptions. We do not show enough what palliative care can do.“”
A law that opens the door to possible drifts
The doctor also deplores an ideological shift: “We promote suicide, as if the death chosen – be it euthanasia or assisted suicide – was a valued death. I do not deny that some people may need it, in exceptional situations. But by legislating, the risk is that, little by little, the conditions are increasingly facilitating the use of this type of practices. “
Regarding the text on palliative care, our expert is rather satisfied with the promised advances: “I am delighted with the vote unanimously concerning the development of palliative care. Even today, this type of service is lacking in around twenty departments, and one in two patients who need it does not have access to it“, He recalls.
Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency artist and medical director of True Medical, also reacted strongly in a video: “So, yes, we die in indignity in France, but we die in unworthiness, and I address all deputies, right or left, who vote for this law as” social progress “. So, this law, it finally accepts that the palliative care services The territory it accepts the agony of the health service, in particular of the public service. Overall, we will have to be efficient. Healing is not killing! Healing is accompanying! “
The text is not definitively adopted for the time being. It will be examined by the Senate at the start of the next school year, which will not fail to provoke, no doubt again, intense debates on the issue.