[France] Requesting euthanasia or assisted suicide when it is illegal: A qualitative study about relatives' experiences of patients hospitalized in French palliative care units

[France] Requesting euthanasia or assisted suicide when it is illegal: A qualitative study about relatives' experiences of patients hospitalized in French palliative care units
Palliative Care and Social Practice; Camille De Cock, Florence Mathieu-Nicot, Hélène Trimaille, Mathilde Giffard, Aline Chassagne; 12/24
Requests for euthanasia and/or assisted suicide are generally understood by relatives. However, receiving and discussing such requests is a challenging and emotionally demanding task, generating significant suffering. All relatives seem to experience some degree of suffering, although its expression varies greatly between individuals. We encourage healthcare professionals to identify the nature of this suffering and to invite patients and their relatives to openly discuss these issues and to proactively address the request.