France Introduces Bill to Legalize Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill

The proposed legislation, set for parliamentary debate, aims to provide terminally ill adults the option to end their lives under strict conditions.

The French government has presented a bill that would allow terminally ill patients over 18, who are either citizens or residents of France, to access lethal medication.
Strict eligibility criteria include confirmation of a grave and incurable illness, intolerable pain, and the patient's free will to seek aid in dying.
The bill excludes individuals with severe psychiatric conditions and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's from accessing assisted dying.
Patients must initiate and confirm their request for lethal medication after a period of reflection, with a prescription valid for three months.
Public opinion in France largely supports the legalization of end-of-life options, reflecting a shift in societal attitudes over the past two decades.