Justice slows down an emblematic case

May 21, 2019

Yesterday, the doctors had suspended the treatment of Vincent Lambert, by order of the Council of the French State. But at the last minute, the justice urged that this be continued.

Vincent Lambert's life will continue to be artificially maintained. Last night, they were again connected to the machines that feed and hydrate him since 2008, when he had a car accident that left him with irreversible brain damage. French justice ordered to resume interrupted treatment Monday morningat least until a UN committee gives its opinion on the case. Lambert has been in a vegetative state for over a decade.

The decision was celebrated by Lambert's parents and a sister of strong religious beliefs, who were absolutely opposed to the interruption of treatment in order to make him die by deep sedation. Vincent's case caused a deep family division, since five other brothers and their current wife are demanding the end of their lives and a decent death. For them, there is a "real sadism on the part of the medico-judicial system".

The case, of course, also sparked a heated debate in French society, around euthanasia and dignified death. President Macron himself had to rule on the case after receiving a letter from Lambert's parents asking him to end the termination of care. Macron posted a message on Facebook stating that the decision between his doctors and his wife, his legal guardian, must be respected.

Following a decision of the Council of the French State, Vincent Sanchez, the doctor in charge of the case, had suspended the treatment to submit Lambert to a progressive and deep sedation until his death. But the case is now taking a new turn with the court ruling to subordinate this measure to the opinion given by the Committee for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CDPD) of the UN.