Chantal SEBIRE, 52, suffering from an incurable and degenerative disease, says she wants to end life and suffering. Her three children express their feelings about her wish to die at home, with her family. His general practitioner Emmanuel DEBOST understands his request but cannot go against the law.
Hanri CAILLAVET, former MP and president of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity (ADMD), explains that with his brother, a pharmacist, he helped his father die at his request.
Former Senator Henri CAILLAVET explains the meaning of his bill on the right to die with dignity. He wants those who help those who wish to die not to be punished by law.
Interviewed by Jean-Marie CAVADA, Henri CAILLAVET, President of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity (ADMD). explains that he is committed to defence and the quality of life. And that in this it is favorable to euthanasia if it is the result of a dialogue between the doctor and his patient.
Intervention by Professor Raymond HOUDART, head of the neurosurgery department in Laribosière, about the heavy responsibility of the doctor whatever the act practiced, with or without machine: "we should be saints but we are only poor guys".
Debate on euthanasia and more precisely on the difficulty for a patient or a doctor to make a decision, the approach to death being experienced differently by each. The guests are François SARDA, lawyer, Gabriel DURAND, hospital chaplain, Jacques MADAUL, writer, Louis-Vincent THOMAS, sociologist, Professor Alexandre MINKOWSKI, head of the department of neonatal medicine at Port Royal and Professor Raymond HOUDART, Chief of neurosurgery at Laribosière. The viewers are Mrs LEVY and Mrs CHUFFART, who gave birth to handicapped children, Mrs GANEAU and Mrs TASEI, whose parents died in great suffering and Mrs DEFAWES.
Fourteen cases of euthanasia were confirmed at the Besançon hospital. Commentary on illustration images interspersed by interviews with Vincent MAUBERT, CFDT-CHU de Besançon, and Paulette GUINCHARD-KUNSTLER, PS deputy of Doubs. The medical examination that was requested by the courts has just been rendered. This is mainly end-of-life support, but also active euthanasia, with injection of product. So the case could be prosecuted. Vincent MAUBERT, from the CFDT of the CHU de Besaçon, explains that these are injections of products. It is unclear whether the families were involved in the decision. Only one filed a complaint. Paulette GUINCHARD-KUNSTLER, MP (PS) of Doubs, spoke on the subject. Through this affair the social debate on the end of life is revived, with on the one hand the non-intervention for the maintenance of life at all costs, on the other the active intervention by lethal injection. After a plateau return, the document is dedicated to a hospital resuscitation service. The commentary recalls the articles of law relating to the end of life. Dr François Lemaire, professor of medical resuscitation at the Henri Mondor (Créteil) hospital, clarifies the difference between non-intervention and euthanasia. The comment is conspicuous on the vagueness of the law which nowhere mentions the term euthanasia.