The case is one of the biggest health scandals in French history. Mediator was marketed in 1976 as a medicine for diabetic patients and was also widely prescribed as a weight loss drug for obese people.
Heart complaints
It is estimated that about 5 million people have taken the drug. But that was not without risk.
In 1999 there were already signs that Mediator could cause heart complaints. It then took another ten years for the drug to be withdrawn from the market in France. In Spain, Italy and the United States, it was no longer allowed to be sold for ten years.
–
–
The court ruled today that pharmaceutical company Servier has deliberately ignored warnings about side effects of the drug. “They were aware of the risks for years, but failed to take the necessary measures,” said the presiding judge. The company would thereby have undermined confidence in the health system.
In addition to the million-dollar fine, former top manager Jean-Philippe Seta has to serve a four-year prison sentence. The lawyers of the pharmaceutical company Servier have always stated that there was no deliberate deception.
–
–
