The Paris tribunal took nearly three hours to read out its verdict totaling 1, pages. The huge trial was spread over 10 months in and , and nearly lawyers worked on the case. Exceptionally, the Paris tribunal was also connected by video link Monday to a courthouse in Montpellier, southern France, so dozens of plaintiffs there could also see the delivery of the verdict. The case centered on the diabetes drug Mediator.
The court found Servier guilty of manslaughter, involuntary wounding and aggravated deception. The court acquitted Servier of fraud. Also found guilty and fined for manslaughter and unintentional injury was the French medicines agency, now reformed and renamed. It was accused of failing to take adequate measures to protect patients and of being too close to Servier. Lawyers for the agency said it acknowledged some responsibility but also was misled by Servier.
Facing questions about the drug's side effects from medical authorities in Switzerland, Spain and Italy, Servier withdrew it from those markets between and But it took an independent investigation by another worried French doctor before the company suspended sales in its main market in France in It wasn't sold in the US.
Irene Frachon, told the court. She published a book detailing her findings, and her efforts were profiled in a film, 'The Girl from Brest'. Servier is accused of manslaughter, involuntary injury, fraud, influence trading and other charges.
Investigating magistrates concluded that Servier for decades covered up Mediator's effects on patients. The national medicines agency is suspected of colluding in masking its dangers. Lawyers for Servier argued that the company wasn't aware of the risks associated with Mediator before , and said the company never pretended it was a diet pill. They argued for acquittal. Jean-Philippe Seta. In addition, the 6, plaintiffs want a total of 1 billion euros in damages. Lisa Boussinot, whose mother died after taking Mediator, wants more -- she wants the company's labs shut down.
She said she wants a strong signal "that shows that our justice system protects us" from powerful companies that don't brook criticism. The national medicines agency is suspected of colluding in masking its dangers.
Lawyers for Servier argued that the company wasn't aware of the risks associated with Mediator before , and said the company never pretended it was a diet pill. They argued for acquittal. Jean-Philippe Seta.
Prosecutor Anne Le Guilcher asked for a fine of , euros against the French medicines agency, accusing it of failing to take adequate measures to protect patients and of being too close to Servier.
The agency, since reformed and renamed, is accused of manslaughter by negligence and causing unintentional harm. The agency's lawyers said it acknowledged some responsibility but said Servier misled medical authorities. The central witness in the extensive trial was Frachon, a pulmonologist in the western city of Brest who investigated Mediator's effects after treating an obese patient in who later died.
She maintains that Servier knew about problems with the drug since He wanted to punish me I become persona non-grata in many scientific events.
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