The court in the city of Besançon, France, has issued a final verdict in a case that shocked the public. Former anesthesiologist Frédéric Péchier, accused of the deaths of 12 patients and the poisoning of 30 others, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. This was reported by France 24.
According to court records, the 53-year-old Frédéric Péchier deliberately administered toxic substances to patients during medical procedures over nearly a decade, from 2008 to 2017. He added substances to drips that could cause cardiac arrest or severe bleeding. As a result, 12 patients died, and dozens of others experienced critical conditions.
Most horrifyingly, Péchier’s youngest victim was only four years old. In 2016, during a routine tonsillectomy, the child suffered two episodes of cardiac arrest. The oldest victim was 89 years old. Following this case, the French media dubbed Péchier as "Doctor Death."
According to the prosecution, Péchier targeted the patients of colleagues with whom he had professional disagreements. In some instances, he attempted to portray himself as a "hero" by participating in the resuscitation of poisoned patients and trying to gain credit for saving them.
The former anesthesiologist consistently denied all charges during the investigation. He attributed the poisoning incidents to the medical errors of other doctors and claimed that another individual at one of his former clinics was responsible for the poisonings — not him.
The court also ruled that, in addition to his life imprisonment, Frédéric Péchier is permanently banned from practicing in the medical field. Furthermore, he announced his intention to appeal the sentence.
This case has intensified debates in French society regarding trust in the healthcare system, the responsibility of physicians, and oversight mechanisms.
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