Introduced by the "End of life" law in April 2005, the so-called Leonetti law, the system of advance directives was reinforced and specified in 2016, by the second "End of life" law, so-called "Claeys Leonetti" law.
Following the publication in September of a notice opening the door to the legalisation of euthanasia and assisted suicide, the CCNE (Comité Consultatif National d’Ethique) has just issued a new notice, number 140, headed “Rethinking Healthcare System Based on Ethics”.
The Constitutional Council has been consulted in a conflict opposing the family of a patient and his medical team concerning the application of his advance directives.
On 13th September, during publication of instruction No. 139 by the CCNE on the end of life, according to which "there is a way for ethical application of an active assistance to die", it is surprising to note the u-turn relative to a previous instruction on the subject dated 2013.
The decision by the Belgian Constitutional Court concerning the unconstitutionality of the law dated 28th May 2002 on euthanasia raises the question of the true protection of patients.
