A bill on end of life, palliative care, infantile mortality, budgetary economy, future of the right: Philippe Juvin answered questions from Jean-Jacques Bourdin.
“We offer death to people who are not at the end of their life!”
The deputy Les Républicains (LR) of Hauts-de-Seine and head of the emergency department of the Georges Pompidou hospital, Philippe Juvin, firmly opposes the bill on the end of life examined in committee. “”It is wrong to say that it is a law on end of life!“He says. According to him, the text will allow”to open euthanasia to people who still have years to live“, Like dialysis or metastasus cancer patients effectively treated with immunotherapy.
The doctor judges that the criteria selected are vague. “”If you have intolerable psychological suffering, but it is you who judge it, you can ask for euthanasia.“He deplores a procedure”expeditious“, with a possible decision”Between 0 and 17 days“, while”A consultation against pain may require up to six months of waiting“. For him, this law proposes”Death to people who are not at the end of their life“.
End of life: “Today, there is no longer therapeutic relentlessness”
Philippe Juvin defends palliative care as a Real response to the suffering of patients. He recalls that “When they enter palliative care, 3% of patients ask to die. A week later, they are only 0.3%.“This change shows, according to him, that a medical and human response may suffice:”We have provided answers to their requests. We calmed the pain. We restored dignity.” “What patients want is not to suffer. And that can be offered it.“
Far from denying painful situations, the deputy-medicine insists on the current practice. “”When someone suffers a lot, we have the legal possibility to put him to sleep. This is called deep sedation.“This terminal anesthesia allows him to relieve without deliberately provoking death.”For 35 years, we no longer give lethal cocktails. We accompany. We relieve. We respect.“
“The hand that is held should not be the hand that kills“”
The argument of freedom, often invoked by the defenders of the text, returned by Philippe Juvin. He warns against an insidious drift of the text as it is. “”Is the patient really free when he is alone, poor, isolated, in Ehpad without visit? Real freedom is to be supported. In Oregon, it is above all the poor who resort to assisted suicide. For what ? Because they are alone, so less free of their choice.”
Asked about the possibility of administration of the lethal product by a health professional, Philippe Juvin categorically opposed this provision, even if it is now framed by an amendment. “”The hand that is held should not be the hand that kills“He says, adding that he refuses that medical staff find themselves in this ambiguity. “When I go into a white coat in a room, I don’t want the patient to wonder if I come to treat him or kill him.” “In an imperfect system, self-administration remains less worse than the direct act of a caregiver.”
“100,000 graduate nurses would not practice medicine”
Philippe Juvin alerts a silent crisis in hospitals: the massive departure of caregivers. “”The number of nurses who do not practice medicine are estimated at 100,000. It’s huge.“According to him, this phenomenon is explained by psychological suffering and difficult working conditions.”You see people die, suffer. This job is hard. In a sanitized, digital world, where everything is a filter and perfection, we are not prepared for this reality.“
It also evokes a disorganization of services. “”There is not a hospital in France where all the positions are provided. It is a national situation.“Philippe Juvin calls to”take care of those who treat“, and alert on recent complaints for moral harassment and manslaughter.”There are suicides in hospitals. It should alert us all.“
Infantile mortality: “The first hypothesis is the pathologies linked to the mother”
Infant mortality is experiencing a discreet but regular increase in France. The country is now 23 of 27 in the European Union. “”It is the death of a baby between birth and the first year. Half, it’s in the first week“specifies Philippe Juvin.”Et In France, we do not record the causes.“
The doctor points a bundle of possible causes: “Obesity, tobacco, alcohol, precariousness, isolation of mothers. “He also insists on prevention:”You have to sleep the babies on your back, no stuffed animals, no animals, no shared bed. The photos of the diapers often show the opposite. It’s dramatic.“For him, better monitoring of death causes would make it possible to act effectively.”Today, we sail on sight.“
Budget 2026: “You have to work more!”
On the economic field, Philippe Juvin supports a clear line: “You have to work more, spend less.“He criticizes the state of public finances and government announcements.”40 billion euros in savings announced for 2026, but we do not know how. “He alerts:”You cannot always increase taxes. We are maximum.“
According to him, a concrete solution exists: “If we worked as much as in Holland, half of our deficit would disappear. We have 5 million unemployed and no business that does not seek to recruit. It is a paradox.“He insists on working time.”France is the country of the OECD where we work the least. It is not sustainable.“
“The right must have a primary. Otherwise, it will not be in the second round”
On the political side, Philippe Juvin supports Bruno Retailleau for the presidency of the Republicans. He defends his ability to bring together: “I like his way of working together federalists, sovereignists, liberals. The right is diverse, Bruno Retailleau understands it.“Faced with Laurent Wauquiez and his proposal for a”French Guantanamo“, it remains measured:”This is not our proposal. But I do not criticize a member of my party. He campaigns, everyone will judge.“
For 2027, he called for an open primary, a condition according to him of a second possible second. “”If we are 10 candidates, we will not be there. You need a way to decide between: an open primary. The last one won Fillon. He has not lost because of the primary, but because of his costumes.“
“French nationality is desired”
Asked about access to French nationality, Philippe Juvin joined the proposal of Bruno Retailleau who wishes to remove the automaticity of the attribution for children born in France of foreign parents. “”The acquisition of French nationality should not be automatic“He says.
For the deputy, to become French implies a commitment: “France, she wishes herself. We do not become French by administrative automaticity, but by will.“He calls for nationality an act of choice and conscience, rather than a simple legal fact.
“Donald Trump has the same program as rebellious France, and in the end, it is the consumer who pays!”
Finally, on economic protectionism, Philippe Juvin establishes a parallel with LFI. “Donald Trump has the same program as rebellious France.” In question, the same temptation to increase customs prices. “”But in the end, it is the consumer who pays!“He insists.
He takes concrete examples: “Your Chinese shirt will cost more, but we will not reopen with factories in France for all that.“He also evokes Boeing, whose components come from 40 countries.”Trump will tax Boeing components, and Boeing will pay.“According to him, protectionism penalizes both the consumer and the national industry.
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