January 2, 2017.
The Minister of Health, Marisol Touraine, announced the publication in the Official Journal of a decree aimed at strengthening the transparency of the links between the actors of the health system and the industrialists.
Fight against conflicts of interest
To avoid possible conflicts of interest, the government wanted to make the links between the actors of the health system and the industrialists in the sector transparent. “ It is up to each Internet user, each citizen, to know in all objectivity the nature of the relationships between the health industries and other stakeholders in the sector “, Said Marisol Touraine, in a press release.
From now on, manufacturers will have to make public all the advantages they grant to certain health professionals. This declaration will no longer only concern doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and students, but also public health experts, administrative officials and associations.
Make public the amount of remuneration
This decree, published on December 30, 2016 in the Official Journal, will also make it possible to “ make public the amount of remuneration and financial contributions of persons subject to the obligation to complete a public declaration of interests “. Patient advocacy associations have been waiting for this decree for 5 years wanted by the Bertrand law, which established more transparency following the Mediator scandal.
” The aim is for public health decisions to be taken away from private interests “, Advanced Dr Philippe Foucras, founder of Formindep (Association for independent medical training), in the columns of Figaro. But according to him, this decree is not sufficient: “ What will prevent health disasters, it is not knowing that the decision makers have been paid by the laboratories, it is that there are no links between them. “
