Last Friday, the National Advisory Committee for Ethics, or CCNE, released its report on the thorny issue of end of life, after two years of reflection and public debate on the subject.
Thick of 71 pages, the report reveals that the French would be favorable to a right to “deep sedation”, and to the use of palliative care before end of life.
“Deep sedation” consists of injecting, via a blood infusion, a product plunging the patient at the end of life into an artificial coma, a deep sleep which eventually leads to death. It is a reversible anesthesia, used in palliative care for accompany and relieve the patient in the last stage of his disease. But sedation is not yet a right, and only the Leonetti Law allows the administration of painkillers for the terminally ill.
According to the CCNE, it is important to distinguish patients in the terminal phase of an incurable disease (for which the CCNE is in favor of sedation), those who are not in the terminal phase and disabled patients.
90% of French people in favor of euthanasia for terminally ill patients
The CCNE report shows that 90% of French people are in favor at theeuthanasia for people who request it and who suffer from incurable diseases.
However, the way to end life is more debated. Although citizens accept the idea of “deep sedation”, it is still poorly perceived by the medical profession, for whom it is similar to disguised euthanasia.
On the other hand, the direct injection of a lethal product is always shocking for the people questioned. It seems that the term “let die” is more unanimous than the term “help to die” or even “make die”.
Inappropriate organization of the health system
For the majority of French people questioned, the current health system does not properly meet the requirements of people in end of life and their relatives. According to the CCNE, caregivers should be better informed about end-of-life care, and respect the wishes of patients, which are often not heard.
It emerges from reflections and public debates that the law of 22 April 2005 relating to the rights of patients and the end of life defines the duties of caregivers more than the rights of sick people, wishes to be taken into account in the first place according to the French .
Today, in the current state of the law, it is the doctor in charge of the patient who decides whether to limit or stop treatment, after consultation with the various parties. A “collegial” procedure that CCNE thinks should be reviewed.
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