On March 18, Le Figaro published a vitriolic column against homeopathy and other alternative medicines, deemed “expensive and ineffective”. Among its 124 signatories, four received a summons before their departmental council of the Order of Physicians and are the subject of a complaint.
“Pseudo-medicines”, “fanciful promises” with “illusory efficacy”. On March 18, these expressions appeared in the columns of Figaro. The daily indeed published an opinion piece against alternative medicine signed by 124 health professionals. In question, according to them, the ineffectiveness of “alternative medicine” such as homeopathy, mesotherapy and acupuncture.
“Faced with more and more esoteric practices, and the growing distrust of the public vis-à-vis scientific medicine, we had to react with force and vigor”, then wrote the signatories, who called for measures to no longer recognize these practices, no longer teach them and force health professionals to deviate from them.
Among the practices targeted in the forum, homeopathy is undoubtedly the most criticized. The signatories deem it “costly for public services” and based “on beliefs promising a miraculous and safe cure”.
A “very offensive” and “defamatory” forum
More than three weeks after its publication, the forum does not stop talking about it. Among the signatories of the forum, four general practitioners received summons from their departmental council of the Order of Physicians. A complaint was also lodged against ten of them by trade unions of homeopathic doctors, mesotherapists and acupuncturists.
According to Le Figaro, if it is for the moment impossible to know if the complaints will succeed, they can however result in disciplinary measures of varying severity for the signatories. The lawyers who wrote them reproach the doctors in particular for having made comments “offensive, defamatory and even insulting” and “contrary to the ethical principles of confraternity, of consideration of the profession”.
“This forum was very insulting against all the doctors practicing this kind of alternative medicine. It treats these doctors of charlatans”, regrets Dr. Meyer Sabbah. Practicing mesotherapy, homeopathy, acupuncture and herbal medicine, this general practitioner in the Alpes-Maritimes is the origin of the complaint, in his own name and as president of two trade unions.
The signatories persist and sign
For their part, the signatories targeted by the complaint say they have prepared to be prosecuted. On his Twitter account, Dr Vincent Ropars, substitute general practitioner in Finistère, says he is not afraid of a possible conviction or disciplinary measures. “I am even proud of what happens to me. Because, if the opponents bring the debate on the ground of the ordinal complaint, it is because probably no valid argument seems possible to them on the ground of the public debate”, writes -he.
I’m even proud of what’s happening to me. Because if opponents bring the debate on the ground of the ordinal complaint, it is because probably no valid argument seems possible to them to bring on the ground of the public debate.
– DocZombie (@Zombi_Doctor) April 10, 2018
So I will keep you posted as the situation evolves. In any case, one thing is clear, I do not feel alone and I would not let myself be. Stay tuned!
– DocZombie (@Zombi_Doctor) April 10, 2018
Besides, there was no question for him to write a public apology, however demanded by Dr. Meyer Sabbah, the main complainant. “Despite this complaint, I do not regret at all having signed the platform. If it had to be done again, I would not hesitate for a second,” said the doctor. Little chance, therefore, that the attempt at conciliation at the departmental level succeeds. In the event of failure, the complaint may be transferred to the regional authorities of the Order of Physicians.
Homeopathy will continue to be reimbursed
In this opposition between doctors favorable to alternative medicine and those who denounce its effectiveness, Agnès Buzyn has for the moment chosen her camp. Asked Thursday April 12 about RMC, the Minister of Health said she was in favor of maintaining reimbursement for homeopathy even if she recognized that it “probably has a placebo effect”.
“It’s probably a placebo effect. If it can avoid using toxic drugs, somewhere I think we collectively win. There you go. It doesn’t hurt,” she said. Currently, homeopathy is partially reimbursed by Social Security, up to 30%. This represents an annual cost of around 50 million euros. Several scientific studies show, however, that these treatments would only have a placebo effect.
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