The Terminally Ill and End-of-Life Decisions: News from France

Thanks to Gerry Whyte, of Trinity College, Dublin, for this item from today's Irish Times.  Note that according to the report, the Roman Catholic Church is among the authors of the law:

France's parliament has approved a law that will allow terminally ill patients to opt for death instead of further treatment, but which supporters say stops short of permitting euthanasia.

In an overnight session, the senate adopted a text already approved by the lower house that allows doctors to stop giving medical assistance when it "seems useless, disproportionate or has no effect other than maintaining life artificially".

The draft bill says terminally ill patients should have the right to ask for treatment to be stopped, even if that leads to death, and doctors should respect their wishes after verification with the patient and medical colleagues.

The law also suggests families should be able to request an end to life support for unconscious patients, and says doctors can prescribe pain-stopping drugs for a terminally ill patient, even if the medication increases the risk of dying.

The authors of the law - supported by the conservative government, opposition Socialists and the Roman Catholic Church - have said the bill does not copy voluntary euthanasia which is legal in Belgium and the Netherlands.

They say it is distinct from euthanasia because it does not allow the doctor actively to end the patient's life.