Medical liability and nosocomial infections.

Modifications of the civil and administrative jurisprudence regarding nosoc omial infections reflect the will to pay the patient for compensation for i njury, The June 29, 1999 decree of the French Court of Cessation shows the transition from presumption of malpractice to obligation of safety. The aut hors describe those modifications, including the physician's and hospital l iabilities, and assess their consequences, as proof of an external cause is now mandatory while proof of absence of malpractice is no longer sufficien t (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.