French Council protects conscience rights for Catholics, pharmacists as euthanasia law takes effect

The official promulgation of France’s end-of-life law in the Journal Officiel on Aug. 19 came with a significant victory for religious and conscience freedom. Catholic hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes will not be forced to allow euthanasia or assisted suicide on their premises, and pharmacists cannot be compelled to prepare or dispense the lethal substance. This conscience-clause win, secured by interpretive reservations by the Constitutional Council on Aug. 14, has received less attention than the law itself, adopted by the…