Inès’ parents have taken legal action to oppose the stopping of their daughter’s respiratory assistance. the Nancy administrative court rejected their request, following the opinion of the medical profession. The 14-year-old girl suffers from a neuromuscular disease. Plunged into a coma since last June after a cardiac arrest, she was hospitalized at the University Hospital of Nancy.
The situation opposes the hospital, which has launched a “collective procedure” aimed at stopping treatment, and Inès’ parents, who are contesting this decision. The latter are convinced that their daughter is still capable of a few movements. Doctors, for their part, believe that these are only reflex movements. A first hearing took place on September 13, 2017. The judges then suspended the decision and ordered a medical expertise.
“A persistent vegetative state”
The panel of experts, made up of two neuro-pediatricians and a head of the pediatric intensive care unit, delivered their conclusions. For them, Inès is in “a persistent vegetative state” and “does not and will no longer have the capacity to establish any contact” and they qualify the continuation of the treatments “of unreasonable stubbornness”. After having again examined the case behind closed doors during the hearing of December 6, validated the stoppage of care.
Inès’ parents should appeal. The hospital’s lawyer, Me Bertrand Marrion, for his part assured AFP that the Nancy CHRU will “not take any hasty decision” and will “obviously” wait for a possible judgment of the Council of State before stopping cares.
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