Jean-Luc Roméro denounces in particular one of the conditions set by Emmanuel Macron to benefit from this assistance in dying which establishes that “a collegial team of doctors will decide whether or not to grant you this right”.
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L’“assisted dying” proposed by Emmanuel Macron Sunday March 10 is “the only advance” announced by the Head of State, reacted on franceinfo Jean-Luc Roméro, honorary president of the association for the right to die with dignity (ADMD), while the President of the Republic announced, in a interview given to La Croix and Libération, that a bill opening a “assisted dying” below “strict conditions” would be presented in April to the Council of Ministers, with a view to a first reading in May in the National Assembly. According to Jean-Luc Roméro, this proposal “is not feasible” as is.
“We are moving from what Jean Léonetti called, ‘letting him die’, to ‘making him die’. So obviously, I can only rejoice about it”, recognizes Jean-Luc Roméro. But the honorary president of the ADMD points out the conditions set by Emmanuel Macron to benefit from this assistance in dying, and in particular “the fifth condition” which establishes that“a collegial team of doctors will decide whether or not to grant you this right.” He shares these “concerns”because if doctors “do not agree among themselves, we will have to ask another team. And if this other team does not agree, we will have to go to court”. For Jean-Luc Roméro, “this seems totally impossible”. According to him, “no country around us has used a system like this”. He is now waiting for “Parliament gives us a text which is an applicable text.”
“Even if we can rejoice [qu’Emmanuel Macron] has finally dared to use the word active assistance in dying, what he is proposing is absolutely not feasible.”
Jean-Luc Roméro, honorary president of the association for the right to die with dignity (ADMD)franceinfo
Jean-Luc Roméro “regret” also that the Head of State says that this assistance in dying “is neither a right nor a freedom that it will grant to citizens”. “It’s still a medical matter that he is doing to us, with doctors who decide.” For the honorary president of the ADMD, “It is the person who is dying who must be able to decide what is best for them.”. He expects people to be given “the right to be able to decide to die, because there is no higher principle in a secular Republic which obliges you to die as late as possible in suffering”.
Jean-Luc Roméro denounces again “medicalization” and giving “all power to doctors”. “For doctors, as is happening in Belgium in particular, to check your discernment, it is completely normal”underlines the honorary president of the ADMD. “But they are not there to tell you yes or no. They are there to tell you, you are within the conditions of the law. So if you wish, you can benefit from it.” Jean-Luc Roméro believes that with the proposal formulated by Emmanuel Macron, it is the doctors, “while you are in all the conditions of the law, who will decide. That is to say two or three people who will choose for you. And that seems terrible to me”. “We are still in medicalization and we give all power to doctors who, in a certain way, have the right to death over you”adds Jean-Luc Roméro.