The Renaloo association files a complaint “against abusive dialysis in Nancy”

The Renaloo patient association files a complaint and asks public authorities to act to protect patients from “abusive dialysis in Nancy”.

Renaloo: “the treatment should have required medical care but in no case dialysis”

During the summer of 2023, “Renaloo was informed that a significant number of patients had undergone emergency dialysis in recent years without medical necessity in a lucrative private health establishment in Nancy. Their common point: they suffered from acute renal failure whose treatment should have been impose medical care but in no case dialysis”, writes the institution in a press release. “Medical expertise has confirmed these abusive practices, endangering patients and violating their rights. Unfortunately, most of them are still unaware of the abuse and attacks of which they have been victims,” continue the activists.

Éric, a volunteer at Renaloo and rightly undergoing emergency dialysis a few years ago, remembers this invasive procedure with emotion: “It remains a very painful moment for me. Under local anesthesia, a trocar of 5 millimeters in diameter is inserted into your neck and close to the chambers of the heart. Doing this without medical necessity is simply a matter of barbarity”.

Renaloo: “carrying out unjustified dialysis sessions exposes you to the risk of complications”

Moreover, “placing a dialysis catheter and carrying out unjustified dialysis sessions exposes you to the risk of complications which can lead to death”, reminds Renaloo.

The situation led to alert launches from spring 2023. Requested by Renaloo, the National Commission for Ethics and Alerting in Public and Environmental Health (CnDAspe) noted “acts of medical mistreatment, endangerment of vulnerable people and serious deviations from good medical practices”. In September 2023, she transmitted the case to the Nancy public prosecutor, the National Council of the Order of Physicians and the Biomedicine Agency.

Renaloo filed a complaint with the Nancy public prosecutor

“Despite the seriousness of the facts for which they are accused, the incriminated practitioners are still in activity. The only concrete measure taken by the establishment after numerous discussions with Renaloo was the placing under supervision since November 2023 of any new prescription dialysis by an external nephrologist. This necessary decision is not sufficient”, deplore the members of the non-profit organization. “To our knowledge, neither the establishment nor the ARS Grand Est have made a report to the courts, although article 40 of the code of criminal procedure requires them to do so, thus preventing any sanction for the practitioners and any information from potential victims”, they add.

Renaloo therefore filed a complaint with the Nancy public prosecutor for attacks on the integrity of the human body, endangering the lives of others and abuse of weakness. “Our objectives: an in-depth investigation, information for victims and prevention of repeat offenses”, concludes the collective.

Renaloo is an approved association of patients with kidney diseases. It was born in the form of a blog in 2002 at the initiative of a patient who wanted to share her experience of dialysis and transplant.