A group of experts begins a lexical reflection on the terms of the debate and should deliver a lexicon before March, at the request of the government.
by Béatrice Jérôme
Less than two months ago, the academician Erik Orsenna was invited to have lunch at the Ministry of Health by Agnès Firmin Le Bodo. The Minister Delegate in charge of the territorial organization and the health professions has long been elected to the town hall of Le Havre (Seine-Maritime). She shares with the writer-navigator the love of the big large. The subject that brings them together that day is not the sea, but death.
The Minister proposes to the “Immortal” Orsenna – he is a member of the French Academy – to design a lexicon of the words of the end of life. The glossary must be delivered before the end of the citizen convention on the end of life, which will give in March an opinion on the legalization or not of assisted suicide or euthanasia. Erik Orsenna raises the glove. But suggests that nine other personalities accompany him in this lexical work. “The deliverable will be rendered in February,” says M me firmin le bodo.
Why such a lexicon? To achieve a “peaceful” national debate, according to the expression of Emmanuel Macron on the end of life, “we needed definitions of certain accessible and understandable words of all French,” explains the Minister Delegate. Hence the idea of asking specialists to specify “the meaning of expressions such as” assisted suicide “,” active help to die “,” deep and continuous sedation “, states Agnès Firmin le Bodo.
The reflection group met, for the first time, on December 12. Alongside Erik Orsenna sits the writer and sociologist Noëlle Châtelet, author of the last lesson (Seuil, 2004); The psychologist and psychoanalyst Françoise Ellien, specialist in palliative care; Sociologist Philippe Bataille, director of studies at the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences; Elsa Walter, a book to you, I can say. Listen to the words of the end (Flammarion, 352 pages, 18 euros). Volunteer with patients at the end of his life, M Me Walter is spokesperson for the reflection group.
Also sit scientists: Franck Chauvin, professor of public health, specialist in prevention in oncology and president of the High Council of Public Health; Alexandra Fourcade, doctor, municipal and departmental elected representative of Hauts-de-Seine; Marc Magnet, former head of service of a palliative care unit in Lyon.
“Pluralism of opinions”
The group also has two lawyers: François Stasse, State Councilor, former director general of public assistance-the Paris (AP-HP), from 1989 to 1993, specialist in the subject of the end of life, As well as Martine Lombard, professor emeritus of public law at Paris-Ii-Panthéon-Assas University, author of the final request. Help to die peacefully, freedom within our reach (Liana Levi, 126 pages, 14 euros).
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