The “awakening” of a patient in a coma has just been authorized by the Strasbourg court. The story on which he ruled recalls the case of Vincent Lambert. This new case could prove to be just as complex to resolve. Again, it concerns a patient who fell into a coma after a serious accident. There too, the patient’s state of health and the attitude to adopt fiercely divides those around him and the doctors.
The origin of the quarrel begins on April 2 when the man is transferred from the hospital of Colmar to that of Strasbourg because the doctors consider that a revival is possible. Indeed, they ensure that a “significant improvement in his condition” can be “considered”. He responds positively to stimuli and can even feel emotions, doctors argue.
No formal patient request
An opinion that does not share the whole family of the patient. Starting with his wife who fears “unreasonable obstinacy” and a “risk of artificial maintenance in irreversible life”. The patient’s wife therefore decides to urgently appeal to the Strasbourg administrative court, which therefore decides in favor of the doctors.
Justice believes that its decision “does not call into question the possible implementation” of the Leonetti law relating to the end of life. This authorizes the stopping of a too heavy medical treatment at the request of the patient in order to avoid any therapeutic relentlessness. The wife assures that her husband had told her of his wish “not to find himself confronted one day with a bedridden state” (without this being written down). In response, the doctors want to be reassuring: stopping treatment could be considered in the event of a deterioration in his condition.
