Overview

• The French National Assembly committee unanimously adopted a bill creating a legally enforceable right to palliative care, addressing significant gaps highlighted in a 2023 Cour des comptes report.
• The proposal includes the establishment of 'maisons d’accompagnement et de soins palliatifs,' intermediate care facilities bridging home and hospital care for end-of-life patients and their families.
• Amendments were approved to clarify the definition of palliative care, aligning it with the World Health Organization's standards and distinguishing it from broader accompaniment measures.
• The bill introduces a mediation process to resolve family disputes over medical decisions regarding the limitation or cessation of care.
• This legislation is part of a broader reform that splits the original end-of-life proposal into two bills, with debates on the more contentious aid-to-die proposal ongoing and final votes scheduled for May 27, 2025.