• Frédéric Péchier sentenced to life imprisonment for poisoning 30 patients.
• Prosecutors stated his actions were intended to discredit colleagues.
• The youngest victim survived two cardiac arrests during surgery.
• Péchier claims to appeal the ruling, denying any wrongdoing.
• The case raises significant concerns about patient safety and medical ethics.

A French court has sentenced former anaesthetist Frédéric Péchier to life imprisonment for intentionally poisoning 30 patients, resulting in 12 deaths. The court found that he contaminated infusion bags with substances that caused cardiac arrests and hemorrhaging between 2008 and 2017 at two clinics in Besançon. Judge Delphine Thibierge stated, "You will be incarcerated immediately," highlighting the severity of Péchier's actions, which prosecutors termed as "using medicine to kill," according to BBC, SCMP, and Le Monde.

Péchier's youngest victim was a four-year-old boy who survived cardiac arrests during a routine tonsil operation, while the oldest was 89. The case drew attention due to the bizarre circumstances, as many patients experienced unexpected cardiac arrests in otherwise low-risk scenarios. Prosecutors believe that Péchier aimed to psychologically harm colleagues with whom he had conflicts, attempting to "feed his thirst for power," according to SCMP and CBS News.

During the trial, Péchier maintained his innocence, asserting that the incidents were the result of "medical errors" by others and not his wrongdoing. He has indicated plans to appeal the life sentence, claiming, "I am not a poisoner," as he faced distressing revelations about his past actions and emotional turmoil, which surfaced during court proceedings, according to BBC, CBS News, and Le Monde.