This is another episode of the judicial soap opera which opened today in the Vincent Lambert affair. The Reims University Hospital was to make a collegial decision on stopping the treatment of the 38-year-old patient. The parents of the patient in a vegetative coma won their case: Dr Daniela Simon, responsible for the collegial procedure on the end of life of Vincent Lambert, decided not to end the care provided to Vincent Lambert. According to Le Figaro, she will refer to the Ministry of Health as to the follow-up to be given to this file.
Since 2013, it is a legal match between the parents of Vincent Lambert and the University Hospital of Reims. At stake whether or not the treatment of Vincent Lambert is at stake. The patient has suffered irreversible brain damage from a traffic accident that left him in a vegetative state seven years ago. The traditionalist Catholic parents oppose the medical decision to stop the care, that is to say the artificial hydration and diet of Vincent Lambert.
After numerous appeals against this suspension of treatment considered as a “assassination attempt” by parents -a criminal complaint was lodged against the medical team to this effect-, the case went up to the highest level of the judicial machine, namely the Council of State and the European court of human rights (ECHR).
The latter body ruled last June for the cessation of treatment, judging the continuation of obstinacy care unreasonable.
But that’s without counting the stubbornness of the parents, who could again challenge the new collegial decision expected today if it is unfavorable to them. These could immediately seize the administrative judge of Châlons-en-Champagne with an interim relief, to suspend the implementation of the decision of the University Hospital of Reims.
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