France's Constitutional Council fully upholds assisted dying law

Published Aug 14, 02:15 PM UTC

France's highest constitutional authority, the Constitutional Council, has fully upheld a law granting adults with incurable conditions the right to assisted dying. The legislation, passed by parliament in mid-July after years of public debate, allows patients to self-administer a lethal substance, with exceptions for those physically unable to do so, who may be assisted by a healthcare worker. Eligibility requires patients to be of legal age, French nationals or long-term residents, and suffering from treatment-resistant or unbearable pain. A physician verifies eligibility, followed by a panel assessment, with a mandatory two-day waiting period and the option to withdraw consent at any time. President Emmanuel Macron, who promised the law during his 2022 re-election campaign, welcomed the decision. The Council identified three 'interpretative reservations' requiring clarification, including the conscience clause for healthcare professionals and private facilities, but did not demand a rewrite of the text. France joins the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada in legalizing the practice.