Alain Cocq wants to let himself die again

Alain Cocq -

About a month after his first abortive attempt, Alain Cocq announced this Saturday his intention to let himself die again in the coming days.

This “dignified” end-of-life activist suffering from an incurable disease assured to go “to the end”.

"As of midnight Monday, October 12, I will stop all hydration, diet and treatment except painkillers," Alain Cocq told AFP.

During his first attempt, at the beginning of September, Alain Cocq had ceased all hydration, diet and treatment, but several days of suffering that he said "unbearable" had led to his hospitalization and the resumption of his treatment.

Misunderstanding with Samu

"At that moment, the Samu intervened and offered to relieve my pain, which I accepted: there was a misunderstanding because they understood that it was necessary to resume hydration and diet. “, Explained Alain Cocq in an intervention, from his medical bed by video-conference, at the general assembly of the Association for the right to die with dignity (ADMD), which was held Saturday in Dijon.

"This time, it's clear: I had the help of a lawyer and the Samu will be served by mail," he said, indicating that he had been advised by the lawyer François Lambert, the nephew of Vincent Lambert, a nurse in a vegetative state who died in July 2019 after a deep sedation wanted by his wife and François, but to which his parents were opposed.

Thus, in a letter listing his last wishes and written with the help of François Lambert, Alain Cocq explains wanting to "learn the lessons of (s) on first attempt".

“This time I put in writing that my will is free and enlightened… I say therefore clearly and solemnly: if I ask for help at such and such a time from the medical world, that does not mean in any way that I want to live.

This will mean that I can no longer stand up to the suffering and that I want to benefit from deep and continuous sedation, ”continues Alain Cocq.

No retransmission on Facebook

The latter said that this time he renounced to broadcast his agony live on his Facebook page or another site.

Facebook had blocked on September 5 the video broadcast of the agony of the militant of the end of life worthy after only a few hours of live.

Alain Cocq, 57, believes that he no longer has a “dignified” life because of a very painful illness that keeps him in bed.

He had unsuccessfully asked the President of the Republic in August to authorize, on a compassionate basis, the medical profession to prescribe pentobarbital, a powerful barbiturate which would have allowed him to "leave in peace".

The president refused, saying "not being able to ask anyone to go beyond our current legal framework".

Alain Cocq is campaigning for the authorization of assisted suicide, which he considers "ultimate care".

The Claeys-Léonetti law on the end of life, adopted in 2016, authorizes deep sedation but only for people whose vital prognosis is “in the short term”.

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• Disease

• Society

• End of life