A month ago, a report by France 2 in The eye of the 20 hours reported a disturbing medical report of the Register of malformations in Rhône-Alpes (Remera). Between 2000 and 2014, seven children were born without arms or without hands in the department of Ain, a rate of malformations 58 times higher than normal.
But the French public health agency has just announced in a press release that 11 additional cases of babies born with reductions in the upper limbs had been recorded over this same period, within a radius of 17 km around the town of Druillat, in Ain. Bringing the number of cases ofTogenesis transverse upper limbs (ATMS) isolated.
No common point between the families
The structure specializing in the census of malformations in the region (the Remera) looked into the question in 2014. The families of the children were studied, questioned to understand where the problem could come from: the result, nothing genetic, not related to the consumption of drugs either.
In other words, nothing abnormal in the behavior of mothers during their pregnancy, nor even any real point in common between them. Except perhaps one: their living environment, in the middle of fields of corn and sunflowers. The epidemiologist of Remera, Emmanuelle Amar thinks that we must investigate this side to understand this peak of malformations. This is what it concludes in its report sent at the end of 2014.
Santé Publique France, which initially responded by contesting the Remera methodology, Finally, the government has just requested more in-depth investigations, which will be conducted alongside the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES).
To note that 3 cases of similar malformations were recorded in Loire-Atlantique in children between 2007 and 2008 and 4 cases in Morbihan in children born between 2011 and 2013.
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