Bad weather for the IHU. After the publication of a grandstand signed by several scientists who castigate the practices of the institute formerly directed by Didier Raoult, the establishment has been the subject of a search since this morning, learned 20 Minutes Marseilles from concordant sources, confirming information from the Sunday newspaper.
This search was carried out by the gendarmes of the central office for the fight against attacks on the environment and public health (Oclaesp). “It’s going very well,” commented to AFP the secretary general of the IHU, Camille Grosso. Contacted by 20 Minutes Marseilles, the public prosecutor Dominique Laurens specifies that this “ongoing” search is being carried out “in the context of the ongoing judicial investigation opened last year. »
“False in writing”
Professor Raoult, who had acquired media fame by holding now discredited positions on Covid-19, in particular the supposed effectiveness of treatments such as hydroxychloroquine, published a “pre-print” in March, c i.e. a non-peer-reviewed version of his study of more than 30,000 Covid patients.
In April, the Medicines Agency (ANSM) estimated that the use of hydroxychloroquine “exposes patients to potential adverse effects which can be serious”. The Marseille public prosecutor’s office had opened a judicial investigation in July 2022, after a scathing report from the ANSM, for “forgery in writing”, “use of forgery in writing” and “interventional research involving a human person not justified by his taking into usual charge. The ANSM then made a series of reports in October 2021 and May 2022. At this stage of the judicial investigation, there has been no indictment, the Marseille prosecutor’s office told AFP at the end of May. .