Faced with criticism, Servier defends himself. The laboratory stresses that it has already paid 12 million euros to the victims of the Mediator, and that other offers of compensation are expected.
The Servier laboratories continue their offensive against those who criticize them. Responding to these detractors who accuse them of lacking will in compensating the victims of the Mediator, they indicate that nearly 12 million euros have already been paid.
1,282 offers
At the end of August, Servier had been pinned down by a group of doctors, philosophers and activists, signatories of the “Manifesto of the thirty”, a text accusing the laboratory of engaging behind the scenes in a complex legal battle, to slow down compensation for victims. Faced with this sling, the industrialist replied with numbers.
More than 8,000 victims have turned to the National Medical Accident Compensation Office (ONIAM) since 2011. A solution that has the advantage of offering patients a quick, amicable procedure to obtain compensation. In this context, 1,282 offers of compensation were accepted by Servier. Of these, 748 have already been paid, 485 are awaiting a response, and only 3% have been refused.
Victims also have the option of going to a tribunal de grande instance. As part of this civil procedure, Servier specifies that 160 cases have been retained, of which 37 have already been finalized, with compensation at stake.
The total amount of all these offers correspond to 20 million euros, including the 12 million already paid.
Finally, with regard to the various health insurance organizations which assume the health costs of the victims, Servier assure that they will be reimbursed, even if for the moment, no amount has been specified.
Meeting between Servier and ONIAM
What the laboratories do not mention here is that on behalf of the State, ONIAM should replace them in the compensation of 14 victims, for an estimated amount of 750,000 euros. Indeed, certain opinions delivered by a panel of ONIAM experts, recommending compensation, were refuted by Servier, for “technical reasons”, according to its spokesperson.
Five patients were also offered amounts deemed insufficient, in particular because they exclude the post of recourse to a third party, that is to say the payment of assistance to victims.
ONIAM should in turn turn to justice to recover the amounts committed. In the meantime, a meeting is scheduled for next week with the laboratories, to discuss these files which are blocking.
Concerning the procedure initiated by 45 patients against Servier for “prejudice of anxiety”, the spokesperson for the laboratory contacted by Why actor clarified that the hearing which was to take place this Thursday at the Tribunal de grande instance of Nanterre was postponed to December 8.
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