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Doctors Weighed Ending Treatment for Pope Francis

MAR 26 2025·Updated MAR 27 2025

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Above: Pope Francis makes his first public appearance since his hospital admission on March 23, 2025, addressing crowds from his balcony at the Gemelli hospital in Rome, Italy. Image credit: Christopher Furlong/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

It has been revealed that doctors treating Pope Francis considered palliative care for the 88-year-old pontiff after Dr. Sergio Alfieri recounted the pope’s hospitalization in an interview with Corriere della Sera newspaper, published Tuesday.
FOX News
guardian
The pope was originally admitted to Gemelli Hospital with a respiratory infection on Feb. 14, which was later diagnosed as a polymicrobial infection before developing into pneumonia in both lungs.
CNN
Daily Mail
In his interview, Alfieri recalled an incident on Feb. 28, when the pope suffered an isolated bronchospasm, which caused the pope to inhale vomit. Alfieri claimed that despite their medical intervention, “there was a risk that he might not make it.”
Corriere della Sera
Vatican News
The interview also revealed the extraordinary measures taken at the direction of the pope’s physician, Massimiliano Strappetti, who insisted doctors “try everything” — even at “running the very high risk of damaging other organs” through intensive treatments and medications.
Corriere della Sera
During his stay in hospital, the Vatican provided unusually detailed daily updates about the pope's condition, as Francis himself requested complete transparency about his health status.
The Telegraph
Daily Mirror
The pope was discharged from the hospital on March 23 and prescribed two months of convalescence, with instructions to avoid crowds. He greeted well-wishers outside the Gemelli hospital before departing on Sunday.
Press Office of the Holy See
ap

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Despite his brush with death, the pope has made it clear he will not step down, rightfully acknowledging that the sacred nature of the Pontificate requires it to be ad vitam—a lifelong commitment.

CNN

Narrative B

After such a significant blow to the pontiff’s health, should the pope’s health continue to deteriorate and impede his ability to fulfill his papal duties, there may come a point at which Pope Francis may have to step down from the position.