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Abstract:
This paper comments on the 2017 decision of the French Conseil constitutionnel concerning the interruption of a life-saving treatment when the patient cannot express his or her wishes. It first describes the relevant provisions of the French Public Health Code, stressing similarities and differences with the recently passed Italian law on informed consent. It then situates the decision in the context of previous judgments of the Conseil d’État and of the European Court of Human Rights on the same issue, and discusses its content and approach. Finally, it claims that this decision confirms the self-restraint that the Conseil constitutionnel has shown so far when it comes to judge on bioethical questions, and discusses the reasons thereof.
