A former French anaesthetist who poisoned hospital patients in order to demonstrate his resuscitation skills and exert control has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Frédéric Péchier, 53, was found guilty of deliberately contaminating infusion bags with harmful substances at two medical clinics in Besançon, eastern France. Prosecutors said the actions caused cardiac arrests or severe medical emergencies in multiple patients, resulting in the deaths of 12 people.
During proceedings at a criminal court in Doubs, prosecutors described Péchier as a serial killer who abused his medical role, accusing him of turning hospital wards into places of fear rather than care. They argued that his crimes were driven by a desire for power and recognition.
The investigation began in 2017 after a pattern of unexplained cardiac arrests was identified among patients considered low-risk. Medical experts told the court that only deliberate human intervention could explain the incidents, with toxic substances found in intravenous treatments at dangerously high levels.
Among the victims was a child who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest before a routine operation. The child survived but was left in a coma for several days. The court also heard evidence relating to patients ranging in age from young children to elderly adults, including an 89-year-old victim.
The first confirmed fatality linked to Péchier dated back to 2008, when a man died during a routine surgical procedure. Later testing revealed the presence of a potentially lethal drug dose.
Péchier denied responsibility throughout much of the trial, which lasted nearly four months and included extensive expert testimony and emotional accounts from victims’ families. He later acknowledged that poisonings had occurred but maintained that he was not responsible.
While awaiting trial, Péchier remained at home and appeared in media interviews asserting his innocence. The court ultimately rejected his claims, concluding that the evidence demonstrated a sustained and deliberate pattern of criminal behavior.
He has now been sentenced to life imprisonment, bringing one of France’s most disturbing medical crime cases to a close.
