A quadriplegic French patient, who has been in a vegetative state for more than a decade, should be allowed to die, France's top court ruled on Friday.

The Cour de Cassation overruled an appeals court which last month had ordered doctors to keep Vincent Lambert alive, just 12 hours after medics had already switched off the man's life support against his parents' will.

"This ruling removes the last legal obstacle to ending his treatment," Patrice Spinosi, the lawyer for Lambert's wife Rachel, told reporters.

The 42-year-old former psychiatric nurse's fate has torn apart his family and sparked fierce nationwide debate over the right to die.

His wife and some of his siblings say care should be withdrawn. But Lambert's Catholic parents, backed by other relatives, say he should be kept alive and have launched a series of legal bids to keep his care going.

The new ruling means that the hospital in Reims, northeastern France, could now again stop the artificial feeding and hydration that have kept Lambert alive since a motorcycle accident in 2008. He has almost no consciousness, but can breathe without a respirator and occasionally moves his eyes.

Euthanasia is illegal in France, but a 2016 law allows doctors to put terminally ill patients into continuous deep sedation (CDS) until death. The law draws a distinction between euthanasia and CDS, making France the first country to legislate in such a way.

Euthanasia is permitted in various forms in the Netherlands, Belgium, Colombia, Luxembourg and Canada, while assisted suicide, which involves a doctor helping a patient to end their own life, is permitted in several US&nbsp;states.

A quadriplegic French patient, who has been in a vegetative state for more than a decade, should be allowed to die, France's top court ruled on Friday. The Cour de Cassation overruled an appeals court which last month had ordered doctors to keep Vincent Lambert alive, just 12 hours after medics had already switched off the man's life support against his parents' will.

A quadriplegic French patient, who has been in a vegetative state for more than a decade, should be allowed to die, France's top court ruled on Friday. The Cour de Cassation overruled an appeals court which last month had ordered doctors to keep Vincent Lambert alive, just 12 hours after medics had already switched off the man's life support against his parents' will. "This ruling removes the last legal obstacle to ending his treatment," Patrice Spinosi, the lawyer for Lambert's wife Rachel, told reporters. The 42-year-old former psychiatric nurse's fate has torn apart his family and sparked fierce nationwide debate over the right to die. His wife and some of his siblings say care should be withdrawn. But Lambert's Catholic parents, backed by other relatives, say he should be kept alive and have launched a series of legal bids to keep his care going. The new ruling means that the hospital in Reims, northeastern France, could now again stop the artificial feeding and hydration that have kept Lambert alive since a motorcycle accident in 2008. He has almost no consciousness, but can breathe without a respirator and occasionally moves his eyes. Euthanasia is illegal in France, but a 2016 law allows doctors to put terminally ill patients into continuous deep sedation (CDS) until death. The law draws a distinction between euthanasia and CDS, making France the first country to legislate in such a way. Euthanasia is permitted in various forms in the Netherlands, Belgium, Colombia, Luxembourg and Canada, while assisted suicide, which involves a doctor helping a patient to end their own life, is permitted in several US states.

Quadriplegic should be allowed to die, rules French court

The parents of a Frenchman kept alive in a vegetative state for a decade appealed to President Emmanuel Macron Saturday to ensure his treatment continues, two days before his doctor plans to stop all medication.

Vincent Lambert who suffered severe brain damage after a car accident in 2008 which left him a quadriplegic is at the centre of a bitterly-disputed legal case that has torn his family apart.

In 2014, his doctors, backed by Lambert's wife Rachel, five of his siblings and his nephew Francois decided to stop his nutrition and hydration in line with France's passive euthanasia law.&nbsp;

But his parents, devout Catholics, and his half-brother and sister obtained a court order to halt the move on grounds his condition might improve with better treatment.

"Mr President, Vincent Lambert will die of lack of hydration in the week of May 20 if you do nothing and you are the last and only person who can intervene," their lawyers Jean Paillot and Jerome Triomphe wrote in an open letter on Saturday.

"We are asking you to ensure that the health minister respects France's duties towards a handicapped man," they wrote.

If Lambert was left to die, posterity would view this as a "state crime", they said.

They called on Macron to comply with a request by a UN committee on disabled rights which asked France earlier this month to suspend any decision to withdraw life support while it worked on a detailed opinion on the case.

The UN committee reiterated its call on Friday.

France's Conference of Bishops added its voice to the controversy Saturday, calling on the authorities to wait for the UN committee's findings.

"Why this rush to lead him to death," they said in a statement. "Why would the French state, which makes a point of honour of its promotion of human rights, dispense with the respect of this convention for Vincent Lambert?"

Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said that although France would answer the committee, it was not under any legal requirement to abide by its request.

France's official position is that patients are entitled not to suffer "unreasonable obstinacy".

Lambert's doctor told the family on May 10 that he would stop all treatments on Monday.

The parents of a Frenchman kept alive in a vegetative state for a decade appealed to President Emmanuel Macron Saturday to ensure his treatment continues, two days before his doctor plans to stop all medication.

The parents of a Frenchman kept alive in a vegetative state for a decade appealed to President Emmanuel Macron Saturday to ensure his treatment continues, two days before his doctor plans to stop all medication. Vincent Lambert who suffered severe brain damage after a car accident in 2008 which left him a quadriplegic is at the centre of a bitterly-disputed legal case that has torn his family apart. In 2014, his doctors, backed by Lambert's wife Rachel, five of his siblings and his nephew Francois decided to stop his nutrition and hydration in line with France's passive euthanasia law. But his parents, devout Catholics, and his half-brother and sister obtained a court order to halt the move on grounds his condition might improve with better treatment. "Mr President, Vincent Lambert will die of lack of hydration in the week of May 20 if you do nothing and you are the last and only person who can intervene," their lawyers Jean Paillot and Jerome Triomphe wrote in an open letter on Saturday. "We are asking you to ensure that the health minister respects France's duties towards a handicapped man," they wrote. If Lambert was left to die, posterity would view this as a "state crime", they said. They called on Macron to comply with a request by a UN committee on disabled rights which asked France earlier this month to suspend any decision to withdraw life support while it worked on a detailed opinion on the case. The UN committee reiterated its call on Friday. France's Conference of Bishops added its voice to the controversy Saturday, calling on the authorities to wait for the UN committee's findings. "Why this rush to lead him to death," they said in a statement. "Why would the French state, which makes a point of honour of its promotion of human rights, dispense with the respect of this convention for Vincent Lambert?" Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said that although France would answer the committee, it was not under any legal requirement to abide by its request. France's official position is that patients are entitled not to suffer "unreasonable obstinacy". Lambert's doctor told the family on May 10 that he would stop all treatments on Monday.

Parents appeal to French president in right-to-die case

'Breaking Bad'&nbsp;star Bryan Cranston has defended his decision to play a quadriplegic character in his upcoming dramedy 'The Upside'.

The 62-year-old actor has been criticised for playing a disabled character despite being able-bodied.&nbsp;

In an interview with British Press Association, Cranston said though there should be more opportunities for disabled artists in the industry, it should not stop other actors from taking up challenging characters.

"We live in the world of criticism, if we're willing to get up and try something, we have to also be willing to take criticism. We're very aware of the need to expand the opportunities for people with disabilities," the actor said.

Cranston also said that his casting as a quadriplegic was a 'business decision'.

"I think being cast in this role as a quadriplegic really came down to a business decision... As actors, we're asked to be other people, to play other people. If I, as a straight, older person, and I'm wealthy, I'm very fortunate, does that mean I can't play a person who is not wealthy. Does that mean I can't play a homosexual?&nbsp;

"I don't know. Where does the restriction apply? Where is the line for that? So I think it is worthy of a debate to discuss those issues," he added.

Directed by Neil Burger, 'The Upside' is an American remake of French feature 'The Intouchables', which featured Omar Sy and Francois Cluzet in the lead.

The remake, which also features Kevin Hart and Nicole Kidman, will release in the US on January 11.&nbsp;

'Breaking Bad' star Bryan Cranston has defended his decision to play a quadriplegic character in his upcoming dramedy 'The Upside'. The 62-year-old actor has been criticised for playing a disabled character despite being able-bodied.

'Breaking Bad' star Bryan Cranston has defended his decision to play a quadriplegic character in his upcoming dramedy 'The Upside'. The 62-year-old actor has been criticised for playing a disabled character despite being able-bodied. In an interview with British Press Association, Cranston said though there should be more opportunities for disabled artists in the industry, it should not stop other actors from taking up challenging characters. "We live in the world of criticism, if we're willing to get up and try something, we have to also be willing to take criticism. We're very aware of the need to expand the opportunities for people with disabilities," the actor said. Cranston also said that his casting as a quadriplegic was a 'business decision'. "I think being cast in this role as a quadriplegic really came down to a business decision... As actors, we're asked to be other people, to play other people. If I, as a straight, older person, and I'm wealthy, I'm very fortunate, does that mean I can't play a person who is not wealthy. Does that mean I can't play a homosexual? "I don't know. Where does the restriction apply? Where is the line for that? So I think it is worthy of a debate to discuss those issues," he added. Directed by Neil Burger, 'The Upside' is an American remake of French feature 'The Intouchables', which featured Omar Sy and Francois Cluzet in the lead. The remake, which also features Kevin Hart and Nicole Kidman, will release in the US on January 11.

Actors should not be restricted to play other people: Bryan Cranston on 'The Upside' criticism

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