Vincent Lambert case

CEDH affaire Vincent Lambert Strasbourg 5 juin 2015-1

Vincent Lambert was a French psychiatric nurse who became the center of a prolonged legal battle over the right to die in France. His case sparked a national debate on euthanasia, persistent vegetative state, and end-of-life care, drawing attention from media, healthcare professionals, and legal experts worldwide.

Background

Vincent Lambert was born on September 20, 1976, in Châlons-sur-Marne, France. He worked as a psychiatric nurse before a tragic motorcycle accident in 2008 left him quadriplegic and in a state that doctors described as a persistent vegetative state. Following the accident, Lambert was hospitalized at the University Hospital of Reims, where he received artificial life support, including feeding and hydration through a gastrostomy tube.

Legal Battle

The controversy surrounding Vincent Lambert began in 2013 when his medical team, led by Dr. Eric Kariger, recommended the cessation of artificial life support, considering it a form of medical futility. This decision was supported by Lambert's wife, Rachel, and six of his siblings. However, Lambert's parents, devout Catholics, opposed the decision, arguing that it amounted to euthanasia, which is illegal in France. They contended that Vincent was in a state of minimal consciousness and could improve with appropriate care.

The disagreement led to a series of legal challenges that traversed the French judicial system, reaching the European Court of Human Rights. The core legal question was whether continuing life-sustaining treatment served Lambert's best interests or constituted unreasonable prolongation of his suffering.

In 2014, the French Conseil d'État, the highest administrative court, ruled in favor of discontinuing life support. However, the European Court of Human Rights later upheld this decision, asserting that removing Lambert from life support did not violate the European Convention on Human Rights.

Despite the European Court's ruling, the legal battle continued as Lambert's parents sought various legal avenues to keep him on life support. This prolonged legal and ethical impasse highlighted the complexities of end-of-life care decisions, the rights of patients and families, and the role of the state in such deeply personal matters.

Death

Vincent Lambert died on July 11, 2019, after doctors finally removed his life support following a final ruling by the French Supreme Court, which cleared the way for the hospital to cease artificial nutrition and hydration.

Impact

The Vincent Lambert case had a profound impact on French society and law. It prompted discussions about the legal and ethical dimensions of end-of-life care, the rights of individuals to refuse treatment, and the need for clear advance directives in medical care. In response to the case, French lawmakers and healthcare professionals called for reforms to better address the complexities of end-of-life decisions and to ensure that the wishes of patients are respected and upheld.

See Also

• Euthanasia in France
• Persistent vegetative state
• End-of-life care
• Medical ethics