Citation

Pérotin V. Medecine Palliative 2017; 16(4): 208-219.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017)

DOI

10.1016/j.medpal.2016.12.002

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In France, the law passed on 22 April 2005 on the right of patients and end of life imposed a demanding reflection in the light of the complexity of current medical situations. Modifications of this law are proposed in an increasingly insistent way, in particular in reports that have followed one another during the last three years. This article sheds light on the founding principles of the so-called 'Leonetti Law', looks briefly at the positioning of the media and the polls, and summarises the recent debates about changing this legal frame. The author comments the report of the French committee for reflection over the end of life, the opinions of the French national ethic committee (CCNE, opinion 121) and of a conference of citizens, as well as a recent law proposition that lead to a new law voted on 2 February 2016. The reflection focuses on the following controversial themes: early directives, sedation, assisted suicide, euthanasia. These opinions illustrate the mentality of our time that puts forward individualism rather than universal considerations, simplifying complex questions, even claiming to bring a response to all problems. Modifications of the Leonetti Law are however necessary and the author recommends an evolution which would strengthen the quality of the proposed answers by using more collegial cooperation with a wider scope of interventions and more ethical requirements. © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS

Language: en

Keywords

Assisted suicide; Collegial cooperation; Early directives; Euthanasia; Sedation