French Assembly Approves Assisted-Dying Law Again, 299–226, as Palliative-Care Bill Passes Unanimously

Overview

• Self-administration of the lethal substance was restored as the default, with physician or nurse administration allowed only if the patient is physically unable to do it.
• Eligibility hinges on five cumulative conditions including majority, residency, a grave and incurable condition engaging the prognosis, intolerable or refractory suffering, and capacity for free and informed consent, with psychological suffering alone excluded.
• Requests undergo collegial review, with a decision due within 15 days and a minimum two-day confirmation period, and patients can withdraw their request at any time.
• New criminal provisions include an obstruction offence punishable by up to two years in prison and a €30,000 fine, alongside a separate incitement offence carrying lighter penalties.
• Medical professionals retain a conscience clause with a duty to inform patients of willing providers, and the texts now return to the Senate in April after its earlier rejection, as medical bodies warn about vague criteria and potential pressure on the elderly.