That was to be expected. More than exasperated by the anxiety-provoking and “outrageous” remarks made by the very controversial Professor Henri Joyeux, the Order of Physicians announced that it was going to file a complaint against this oncologist-surgeon.
The latter is at the origin of a petition for the return of the DT-Polio vaccine trivalent, which denounces the current shortage and the potential dangers of the only vaccine still available against diphtheria, polio and tetanus: the Infanrix Hexa vaccine. This is hexavalent: it contains these three obligatory vaccines but also simply recommended vaccines, against whooping cough, against Haemophilus ifluenzae type B (a bacterium responsible for pneumonia and meningitis) and against Hepatitis B.
However, if it is good to wonder about the current shortage, the arguments advanced by Professor Joyeux are considered scientifically unreliable, anxiety-provoking and irresponsible for the Academy of Medicine and the Order of Physicians.
“The words of Prof. Joyeux are not based on any scientific evidence, or even align untruths, as recalled by the Academy of Medicine”, denounces the Order of Physicians on its Twitter account, before adding that “vaccination is a vital public health tool. It is dangerous and totally irresponsible to stir up fears about him. A complaint will therefore be filed against Professor Joyeux, who risks being struck off the Order of Physicians, as was notably the case for Dr. Dukan, who had advocated his weight loss diet for commercial purposes.
At the end of May, the Minister of Health Marisol Touraine had already spoken out against the initiative of Professor Joyeux, declaring that the latter had “taken retrograde positions on a whole series of subjects”. She had also underlined that as a doctor, Pr Joyeux should rather “reassure, explain and not worry and frighten”. Because even if he does not expressly present himself as being against vaccination, Professor Joyeux despite himself contributes to growing a potentially dangerous anti-vaccine feeling.
In the United States, where anti-vaccination sentiment is very strong, a measles epidemic occurred last February, resulting in more than 100 cases in a matter of weeks. More recently in Spain, a case of diphtheria occurred in an unvaccinated 6-year-old child who had to be hospitalized in serious condition. This case had arisen after the disease had been eradicated in Spain, since the last recorded case dated back to 1987.
Read also :
Petition from Prof. Joyeux about the DT-Polio vaccine: beware of the arguments put forward!
United States: measles epidemic revives vaccine debate
Vaccines: how do they work in our body?
