As a member of the collective group “Relieve Pain without Killing”, the Alliance VITA association joins them in denouncing the irresponsible conclusion published by the temporary commission of the “CESE” (French Council for the Economy, Society, and Environment) for end-of-life issues, which regards euthanasia as healthcare.
As Alliance VITA’s General Delegate, Tugdual Derville, who founded the SOS End-of-Life service and is the spokesman for “Relieve Suffering without Killing”, sponsored by Philippe Pozzo di Borgo, makes the following statement:
“With this opinion, the “CESE” is seriously undermining the ethics and safety of healthcare practices.
In their attempt to have euthanasia accepted, the “CESE” has invented an extremely dangerous double talk. Administering death to a person is presented as:
- the “last care “,
- or the “ultimate or care”,
- or even a “profound and explicitly lethal sedation”.
We must call things by their rightful name: how can they dare advertise a care or “deep sedation” that is poisonous and exterminates individuals?
It is at the most vulnerable time of our existence, especially at the end-of-life, that nursing practices must be protected from temptations towards euthanasia. The idea is always to relieve pain without ever killing.
The “CESE’s” legitimate praise for palliative care is ruined by this deleterious recommendation that completely distorts the very definition of palliative care.
On the contrary, we want to pay tribute to the courage and pertinence of those “CESE” members who expressed remarkable dissenting opinions. In the Chamber, a discomfort and a total lack of unanimity could be felt. These members wanted to be dissociated from their colleagues and pointed out the danger of a medical practice which would include the administration of death.
In any case, we call upon the French President to protect our healthcare system from being spoilt by opinions in favor of the practice of euthanasia. “
