Death worthy in France: they will stop feeding a man in a vegetative state for 10 years

The case of Lambert, aged 42, became a symbol in the debate on dignified death resulting from the struggle of his parents, who appealed to the United Nations. ask that your child's health care not be withdrawn.

Lambert was a psychiatric nurse by profession. In 2008, he had a road accident in which he suffered a traumatic brain injury that left him tetraplegic and absolutely dependent.

In 2011, doctors ruled out any possibility of improvement and in 2014, his condition was described as vegetative.

This week, Dr. Sánchez from the Reims hospital informed the lawyers of Lambert's parents his intention to execute the decision to disconnect the man in the week of May 20.

The The interruption of treatment was allowed in April of this year. by the State Council – the highest level of administrative justice – and endorsed by the European Court of Human Rights.

The lawyers for Lambert's parents, Jean Paillot and Jérôme Triomphe, stated that "If this decision were to be executed, Lambert would die in a few days"and invoked the request made five days ago to France by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the UN to suspend any decision while waiting for the examination of the merits of the & # 39; 39; case.

But the French government, which had declared that it would respond to the international body, He understood that the legal course of the case was exhausted after receiving the response of the State Council.

For lawyers "there is no medical emergency to stop Vincent Lambert 's diet and hydration", and" nothing justifies a shameful violation of international law and the precautionary measures required by the UN ".

In the patient's own family, the parents, the sister and a half-brother are supportive of his artificial survival, while his wife, his five siblings and his nephew they oppose the extension of their treatment because they consider it a "therapeutic cruelty".