Husband says judge's ruling on wife's treatment was “inhumane”

The husband of a woman in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) who was given a sleeping pill that was said to have “woken up” some patients has called for an urgent inquiry into the use of the drug on his wife.

The president of the High Court's family division, Sir Mark Potter, sanctioned a brief trial of zolpidem on the woman, named only as J, before a final decision was taken to withdraw artificial nutrition and hydration and let her die.

Sir Mark agreed to the treatment at the request of the then official solicitor, Laurence Oates, …