The Paris tribunal de grande instance announced on Thursday the final closure of the Garches pediatric oncology center. The children will be transferred to another hospital.
The threat had been hovering for several months. This Thursday, justice delivered its verdict after the appeal filed on July 1. The oncology center at Raymond-Poincaré hospital in Garches (Hauts-de-Seine) will close its doors for good. Sick children will go to the oncology unit of Ambroise-Paré hospital in Boulogne.
A fierce fight
The judgment was rendered by the Paris tribunal de grande instance following the appeal filed on 1er July by Dr Nicole Delépine, head of the service. This oncologist fought tooth and nail to keep the center, with the support of parents of hospitalized children. If the court agreed to examine the case before the appeal committee, the final decision is this time irrevocable: “The existence of an assault [une faute grave de l’administration] is not demonstrated, ”said the judge.
Controversial methods
It all started in April when Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) made public its decision to transfer the pediatric oncology department from Garches hospital to Ambroise-Paré hospital in Boulogne, under the orders from Doctor Chevallier. A decision motivated by the advanced age of Dr. Delépine, encouraged to retire, but also by the therapeutic methods of the specialist, deemed not to comply with standard protocols. Children receive more individualized treatments. But above all, Dr Delépine is opposed to new methodologies which recommend the use of innovative molecules..
The authorization required to keep the center is issued every five years by the AP-HP. It was not renewed for 2014 and expired on August 21. This time, Dr Delépine therefore finds himself forced to retire.
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