the future law will have to ensure “traceability from A to Z”, according to Minister Agnès Firmin Le Bodo

2023-05-21 01:53:37

“For active assistance in dying, it seems essential to me to be able to follow the whole process”said the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Health and Prevention, in charge of territorial organization and health professions, Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, Sunday, May 21, in an interview with the Sunday newspaper (JDD). Trained as a pharmacist, she will steer the future bill paving the way for the French end-of-life model, which will have to ensure “traceability from A to Z” for a priori and a posteriori control.

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The text “will include three blocks: active assistance in dying, palliative care and patients’ rights”described the minister, who does not decide on what the French model would be between active assistance in dying and euthanasia. “It remains to be defined. What matters is that the supervised possibility of benefiting from active assistance in dying becomes effective, as demanded by 75% of our fellow citizens.exposed Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, who therefore imposes herself as the pilot of the reform at the expense of the Minister of Health, François Braun, more reserved on the subject.

The President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, wants a new law on the end of life “by the end of summer”, he declared in April after bringing together French people drawn by lot for several months; this citizens’ convention has declared itself in favor of opening a “active assistance in dying”.

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The delicate notion of “medium term”

In his interview at JDDAgnès Firmin Le Bodo recalls the “red lines” set by Emmanuel Macron in this regard: “Minors will be excluded; the vital prognosis of the patient must be engaged in the medium term; his will repeatedly collected; his discernment, intact. » The notion of medium term is “at the heart of the work in progress”she added.

“Other points are not settled: what time frame to reiterate the request? Will the multidisciplinary team examine the first or the second request? Is there a psychological consultation between the two? »she pointed out.

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Agnès Firmin Le Bodo excludes that patients suffering from mental illnesses can have access to it. “Rather than fixing a list of diseases giving access to active assistance in dying, we should rather qualify the impact of the pathologies concerned”said the minister.

This, however, sees two “safeguards” : “Doctors and caregivers who do not wish to participate in active assistance in dying will have to be able to invoke a conscience clause from the first stage of the process, when they have to decide on a vital prognosis committed in the medium term. Then, it will be necessary to ensure that the patient has indeed been offered palliative care., explained the Minister. This promises that the “government wants the bill to be co-constructed with parliamentarians”.

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The World with AFP

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