Abstract

In France, in the case of minors at the end of life, the notions of autonomy, discernment and will are understood differently from the point of view of the legislator, the clinician, and the parents. In adults, however, these are central notions in situations of serious and advanced illness, and in particular in the event of a legislative evolution towards Assisted Dying, since these notions will determine the admissibility of the person's request. In Belgium and the Netherlands, a minor may be euthanized after a request to die, provided in particular that his or her capacity for discernment is examined and recognized. In this context, paediatric palliative care professionals wanted to make a legal, ethical and clinical assessment of the above-mentioned concepts in France in order to raise awareness of the necessary advances to be made in this specific field. If political and legal development is expected, training of professionals and education of the child and his parents in complex medical decisions will be necessary to reconcile the principle of autonomy and the duty of solidarity towards the most vulnerable.

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