Chantal Sébire refuses a new medical advice

Sébire Chantal, a 52-year-old woman suffering from an incurable tumor in the face who wants for help to die, refused Friday to the proposal for a new medical opinion put forward by Nicolas Sarkozy and maintained it wanted an end , it was learned from his lawyer. According to Mr. Gilles Antonowicz, she explained that his state of health does not allow him a trip to Paris for a further consultation with leading experts on the disease, idea put forward by the Head of State, which Sébire Chantal wrote. "It is completely exhausted, she told me that she was suffering too. I do not believe that it is transportable," said Reuters Me Antonowicz. "I want to start by making the feast surrounded by my children, friends and doctors, before finally falling asleep at dawn," she said on RTL Friday. She favours changing legislative allowing active euthanasia. "Stop being hypocritical and think a change in the law will lead to more requests to die. Drifts, they were already, let us be clear. And these are not aberrations, each person accompanying someone in this approach landed on his alter-ego a gesture of love, "she added. Chantal Sébire believes that there is no other way than the death consented to end his suffering she says atrocious and those of her three children. She refused medical proposal which has already been made to stop the treatments, which cause death after several days of coma. It sticks to the request that a judge from Dijon to authorize the prescription and administration of a lethal substance, to be decided Monday. REJECTION OF THE APPLICATION REQUIRED The prosecutor in Dijon required the rejection of the application. Me Antonowicz admitted that it was asking a judge medical assisted suicide, the law impossible. "But the law should not be inhumane. There is not a lot of solutions. Either we accept their suffering, we choose the cessation of treatment, or we granted my request," he said. The judge, he said, can rely on the Public Health Code which refuses "any medical treatment unnecessary, disproportionate and whose sole purpose in maintaining artificial life." The lawyer also referred to the dismissal requested by the prosecutor's office for the benefit of Dr. Frederic Chaussoy, who had given their lives in a young quadriplegic Vincent Humbert in 2003. He was then referred to the concept of allowing the young man to keep his dignity. The Prime Minister, Francois Fillon and Minister of Justice, Rachida Dati said Thursday reject any reform and stick to the law Leonetti adopted in April 2005, that is capable of stopping treatment and administer medicines pain even if they pose a risk life, but not to end the life of patients. The case of Chantal Sébire revive old debate. Two European countries, Belgium and the Netherlands have legalized euthanasia active in the governing strictly. The law applies only in extreme cases, a few dozen a year. Switzerland allows assisted suicide, even for people who are not suffering from life-threatening diseases, which led an unusual "death tourism" in this country.

Expenditures for drugs carried by Illness

It would seem that we have a franchise on the volume of drugs consumed, but we are not yet completely certain. " Frederick van Roekeghem, director of health insurance, remains cautious even if it can not help but note that since 1 January, the date of the establishment of franchises (50 cents per box of medicine), refunds medicines are not dynamic. After a 4.3% drop in spending in January, but with sharp corrections (days, seasonal variations), the trend should be the same in February (CNAM publish statistics Tuesday). "The trend is relatively low but it compares to the same period last year, marked by a fairly large epidemic," relativizes Roekeghem Frederick van. If the "effect" franchise remains to be clarified, health insurance has clearer ideas on the engines of spending growth observed drugs last year. Refunds were up 4.8% to 15.2 billion euros for the general scheme, compared with 0.9% in 2006 (due to heavy price cuts), which is nevertheless a slowdown compared to the period 2000-2004, with annual growth rates of 6% to 8%. On the positive balance presented yesterday included the effectiveness of certain plans containment requirements conducted with physicians. Thus, reimbursements of statins (anti-cholesterol), expensive medicines whose volumes had jumped, fell by 3.7%, below the triple effect of a moderation requirements, the emergence of generic and price cuts . Other drugs on which the CNAM results from the anti-ulcer (- 2.2% of expenditures), antidepressants and psychotropic (- 2%), or antibiotics whose expenses are thought to 1.5 %. By contrast, diabetes medication "remained buoyant" (+ 13.3% for insulin). The main engine of growth consists of the drugs prescribed in the context of serious illnesses involving the life: cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS. These drugs called "specialty" rose by 11% and together account for 56% of spending growth over 2007. Among the largest increases include anti-cancer (+ 25% extra spending), the anti-retroviral (+ 21%) or the érythropoïétines (EPO, + 11.3%). And health insurance has little means of action on these requirements, most often performed in hospital. Another factor of dynamism: Vaccines (+ 17.5%), especially with the marketing last year, the vaccine preventing cancer of the cervix (Gardasil, 450 euros for 3 injections) and the development of that preventing disease Pneumonia (Prévenar, 180 euros). The market for vaccines is expected to continue to grow strongly. But in this case, the insurance can at least hope to make savings on other treatments.

Some children later in life

Yesterday, Wednesday, March 12, it was the first day of fertility in France. The CNIT has hosted the first exhibition of fertility, with 15 inter-active workshops, informative discussions with experts like Professor Rene Frydman. Ethical issues were also addressed, with pre-implantation diagnosis. We happen to such a good day. If she was born because infertility affects more and more couples. Each year, thanks to rapid progress, 19000 children are born thanks to the LDCs, Medically Assisted Procreation. 10 to 15% of parents today to consult with fertility problems. The fault? Of the first babies increasingly late, but also separated families and growing numbers, and thus a large number of pregnancy increased the quarantine. But the figures are there, once again, to remind us of a brutal reality: The probability of conception in a couple without problems is 25% per cycle at 25 years, 12% at 6 years and 35% at 40 years. In addition, the incidence of miscarriage is about 15% to 20 to 30 years and 40% at 40 years. In France, salaries shall be payable only to the 43-year-old mother, because at that age, the techniques of PMA results almost zero. Rest donation of oocytes, very little technique used in France (300 attempts in 2005), as opposed to countries where egg donation is paid and open to girls nulliparous (as in Spain). France unfortunately is not ready to take that step.

The health of very premature babies in question

More than 10000 huge premature born every year in France. A major study of Inserm reveals for the first time the risks and problems that may pose these very early births. Being a big premature, it means born before the 7th month of pregnancy (before 33 weeks). There are more and more in France, probably because of the increase in multiple pregnancies but also for the improvement of medical technology: today very premature babies are taken care of as soon as 22 days. The study conducted by Epipage Inserm follows nearly 2400 children from 9 regions of France, since 1996. They are compared to a group of 666 children born at term. Scientists are now studying the data up to the age of 5. And the results show that very early births are not without consequences for toddlers. First observation: very premature babies are more often under medical care or paramedical staff for 5 years. One third are monitored, compared to 16% of infants born at term. This figure rises to 42% for larger premature infants, those born between 24 and 28 weeks. Regarding motor impairments, sensory and cognitive, 40% of very premature babies suffer. But we must nevertheless qualify this observation: in detail, 25% have problems lighter, 9% of unrest moderate, and only 5% had severe deficiencies. Lastly, as regards the development of the brain, 32% have achieved a score of cognitive abilities (equivalent to IQ) of less than 85 (compared with 12% of children born at term) and 12% a score less than 70 (compared to 3% Children born at term). For scientists, this may expose them to learning problems in school. These results raise the question of limits in the care of very premature babies. But above all it shows the importance of monitoring and support of these children during their first years of life.

Tino the little kitten who fight against retinoblastoma

This is the main idea that can be drawn from the book "My eye again" published by the Institute Curie in the place of children suffering from this serious tumor. In its efforts to help children with retinoblastoma, the association Rétinostop dans le cadre du projet Tino, has just completed a book titled "My eye again." It will be of great help to alleviate the trauma of the child who is now condemned to wear prosthetic eye, and for parents to be able to talk easily with her child. Health care workers including prosthetics of the eye, will provide advice for the reintegration of the child from his peers and society. To obtain the booklet, the families concerned should move closer to health care facilities representing the Institut Curie hitherto the only reference centre at national level and which is recognized internationally in the fight against retinoblastoma. But besides "My eye again", a book where you can see the adaptability of Tino chat about the disease and her friend Mirabelle, for Rétinostop this is only the first stage of the project Tino. Indeed, a stuffed with experimental effigy of a kitten with a removable eye is also preparing backstage… Therefore there is more to choose the breed of cat: Abyssinian, chartreux, manx or ragdoll. There will be something for everyone.

A Bobigny, a cochlear implant placed directly

In the video room of the hospital Avicenna of Bobigny, applause resounded. After an hour and a half of a difficult, Bruno Frachet, ENT chief of the institution completes the installation of a cochlear implant on a patient of 67 years. For the first time, the surgery was broadcast live. Nearly fifty enthusiastic spectators had responded to this initiative organized in the framework of the 11st National Day of Hearing, Thursday, March 13. In the broadcast room, journalists, members of associations, hearing impaired or appareillées already awaiting an implant comment on the delicate intervention. "I had the impression of an outstanding film," said a woman came to learn about cochlear implants. For pigmenter it all, the spread was placed under the sign of interactivity. The public was able to ask questions directly to the teacher to understand the progress of the intervention. As for the deaf, they had subtitles for follow comments from Bruno Frachet and a sound amplification. In France, 700 cochlear implants are placed annually in a dozen establishments specialized in microsurgery highly accurate, 135000 in the world. To date, nearly five million people are affected by hearing in France. 50000 of them might be interested in the installation of a cochlear implant.