France wants to keep its terminally ill sedated until death

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last updated 8 January 2015

France's President Francois Hollande announced Friday that the terminally ill should have "the right to deep, continuous sedation until death."

The Associated Press reports that Hollande called for a law to keep terminally ill patients sedated until they die. The law would only apply at the patients' requests and when their conditions are life-threatening in the short term, AP notes.

Hollande's statement comes as France debates legalizing euthanasia, though Hollande didn't recommend lethal injections. He also avoided saying "euthanasia" or "assisted suicide," since the majority of France is Catholic.