Irène Frachon: “The composition of the” Bronner commission “on conspiracy is perplexing”

Tribune. While it is indisputable that, in parallel with the Covid-19 pandemic, an “epidemic” of deep doubts and multiple mistrust is developing within public opinion with a growing success of alternative theories with conspiratorial overtones, the means put implemented to better understand and perhaps correct, appease such an underlying phenomenon seriously question.

The unveiling of the composition of the “Bronner commission” from the name of the very (too?) media sociologist charged, by the Elysee, to assess this phenomenon of false news is puzzling.

Public health is at the heart of these concerns. As such, the choice of medical personalities likely to shed light on this question is particularly sensitive. We can only be surprised at the co-optation of a “media” professor of medicine and publicly involved in several sensitive controversies, in particular about the Mediator scandal, the most serious public health affair that occurred in France in the 21st century.e century and a significant “marker” of this distrust.

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Since it is necessary, let us recall the facts.

The Mediator scandal is the consequence of an industrial offense of extraordinary gravity, recently judged before the Paris Criminal Court and having given rise to criminal convictions, on the one hand from the implicated firm (Servier), which appealed, and on the other hand, the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) which, for its part, waived an appeal. Experts from the agency, compromised by illegal arrangements with the offending firm, were also convicted.

In addition, the criminal scientific expert report concluded that the Mediator, consumed by around five million French people for thirty-three years, is the direct cause of the death or disability of thousands of people. Finally, to date, nearly 4,000 victims, most of them “survivors” of the Mediator, have seen their compensation procedure finalized after examination by a panel of experts backed by the National Office for Compensation for Medical Accidents ( Oniam).

Read also Mediator scandal: Servier laboratories condemned for “aggravated deception” and “manslaughter”

Thus, while justice has condemned a “deception” (of the industrialist), a “negligence” (of the health authorities), “illegal taking of interests” (of experts), the addition of all these Elements makes it possible to use the term “proven conspiracy”, as understood by anthropologist Didier Fassin, recent author of remarkable public health lessons given at the Collège de France in 2021: “We can therefore speak of real conspiracies led by unscrupulous captains of industry, corrupt politicians and venal researchers whose acts are not only violations of the law but also criminal practices since they cynically involve the life of individuals. “ Didier Fassin concludes: “We must therefore name these acts for what they are: genuine conspiracies undermining public health. “ This is undoubtedly the case with the Mediator.

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