Charged 500 deaths from diabetes drug

500 deaths from diabetes drug mediator? French investigative authorities open proceedings against pharmaceutical manufacturers

02/11/2011

The manufacturer of the diabetes drug "Mediator" has to answer in court. 88-year-old French pharmaceutical entrepreneur Jacques Servier was charged with gross negligence, personal injury and fraud. The side effects of the diabetes drug Mediator, which was later widely used as an appetite suppressant, according to estimates by the French health authorities have led to 500 to 2,000 people to death. For this, the owner of the manufacturing pharmaceutical company, Jacques Servier, now has to answer in court The 88-year-old threatens up to four years imprisonment and the pharmaceutical company Servier the license withdrawal.

Dangerous diabetes drug used for 30 years
The controversial diabetes drug was approved in 1976 in France and since then not only in diabetes but increasingly used as an appetite suppressant. Until the ban on the drug in 2009, more than five million consumers in France are said to have used Mediator, according to the French medicines regulator. For over 30 years, the second largest French pharmaceutical company, Servier, had sold the diabetes drug with the dangerous side effects, until the drug supervision company withdrew Mediator from the market.

The pharmaceutical company, however, the significant side effects have apparently been known for a long time. The French health authorities announced at the end of last year that over the past thirty years in France, about 3,500 hospitalizations were required following the use of the medicine Mediator and that at least 500 patients had died as a result of use. At the end of 2009, because of the massive side effects (especially in patients with valvular dysfunction), the French pharmaceutical regulator was forced to ban Mediator in France as well. In other European countries, such as Germany, the controversial diabetes drug had never received approval or, as in Spain and Italy in 2005, it was withdrawn following the announcement of massive side effects.

Survivors and victims sue against pharmaceutical company Servier
In France, 175 people, survivors and victims have joined forces and sued the drug company Servier. The company had negligently accepted the killing or at least serious harm to the health of its customers and fraudulently attempted to keep the drug sold as an appetite suppressant on the market, according to the plaintiffs. Both the public and private health insurance companies of France support the plaintiffs in their concerns. Until recently, the pharmaceutical company has renounced all responsibility and doubted the credibility of the studies, which are clearly linked to a large number of deaths. „These are conclusions from hypotheses“, commented last year, a spokesman for the company. Although not much has changed in this attitude, Servier announced now before the start of the process the establishment of a compensation fund with over 20 million euros.

Scandal about diabetes drug brings political explosiveness
With more than € 200 million in compensation claims in place, it is understandable that drug maker Servier is trying to position itself a little better by founding a compensation fund. But it is questionable whether the plaintiffs are impressed by this offer. Their chances of success in court are relatively good, given the multitude of different studies that confirm Mediator's negative health outcomes. Moreover, the backing for the pharmaceutical company seems to be gradually crumbling from the political side. Although the French President had recently honored the company founder Jacques Servier for his special merits. However, in the face of allegations from the opposition, the government had counteracted a ban on Mediator „Protect (protect) interests of French laboratory Servier“, President Sarkozy prefers to keep his distance. For his scandal-plagued government, it would be a political catastrophe if it turned out that the policy prevented a ban on the drug, despite its dangerous side effects. (Fp)

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Picture: Andrea Damm