法国离安乐死合法化更近一步

3月10日，巴黎示威者聚集在法国国民议会附近，手举白色人形纸板，无声抗议安乐死合法化。他们的口号是：“可以减轻患者痛苦，但是请不要杀戮。”

France is one step closer to legalizing euthanasia after approving a bill that allows doctors to sedate terminally ill patients until they die.

法国下议院日前通过了一项提案，允许医生给身患绝症、无法治愈的病人注射镇静剂直至其死亡。这意味着法国离安乐死合法化又近了一步。

The bill stops short of recommending lethal injections and avoids the terms euthanasia or assisted suicide, but would give people 'the right to deep, continuous sedation until death'.

该提案既没有建议“致命性注射”，也没有使用“安乐死”或“协助自杀”的字眼，却能给予病人“进入持续深度镇静状态直至死亡的权利”。

This must be at the patient's request, but only when their condition is life-threatening in the short-term.

注射镇静剂必须在病人的请求下才能进行，并且只有当病人在规定期限内生命垂危时才能执行。

The proposed measure was passed by a vote of 436 to 34 in France's lower house of Parliament, and it must now be debated by the Senate.

法国下议院以436对34票通过了这项提案。目前，该提案将交由参议院讨论。

Backed by the Socialist government, the bill would also force doctors in France to follow end-of-life instructions expressed by the patients themselves, or written in advance if they are no longer able to state their wishes.

该提案得到了法国社会党政府的支持。一旦通过，法国的医生就遵从患者提出的结束生命的意愿，对已无能力表达自己意愿的患者，其事先写下的请求也同样具有法律效力。

Earlier this month in a speech at France's lower house of Parliament, Prime minister Manuel Valls praised 'a reform that proclaims the right to die peacefully, in dignity and without suffering'.

本月初在下议院的一次演讲中，法国总理曼纽尔·瓦尔斯赞扬该提案是“一次改革，可以维护患者权利，让患者不受痛苦，得以安详、有尊严地面对死亡”。

The bill has stirred debate in France. It has prompted protests by those claiming the bill amounts to disguised euthanasia, as well as pro-euthanasia campaigners who believe it does not go far enough.

提案在法国引起激烈争论。抗议者称，这实际上就是改头换面的安乐死。而支持安乐死的人则认为，这项提案迈出的步子还不够大。

Doctors are also divided about the idea. So-called terminal or 'palliative sedation' can involve medicating patients until they die naturally of their illnesses, or until they starve.

医学界对此也有不同见解。所谓“临终镇静”或“缓和镇静”，意味着需持续注射镇静剂，直至患者因疾病自然死亡，或者，直至患者饿死。

The method does not actively kill patients, but some doctors say it can mean patients are sedated for weeks before they die, and that it may be more humane to euthanize.

尽管这种方式并未主动杀死病人，但一些医生认为，这样做意味着患者可能需要连续数周注射镇静剂才会死亡，还不如安乐死来得人道。

Vocabulary

euthanasia：安乐死

sedation：镇静状态

palliative：减轻疼痛的