“More than 1 year of “battle” with the order. I am competent and not crazy! I am therefore re-registered with CDOM 34. All my comments on #covid vaxes are based on my skills and my foresight,” declared Monday October 30 on X (ex-Twitter) Denis Agret, a figure opposed to vaccination.
The doctor, known for his controversial positions on the scientific level regarding vaccination, accompanied his statement with a photo of a decision of the “restricted formation” of the National Council of the Order of Physicians, dated Tuesday October 24. The document indicates in article 1: “The decision of the restricted formation of the Occitanie regional council dated April 18, 2023 is annulled. “.
The second article explains the 1st: “Dr Denis Agret is registered on the roll of the Hérault departmental council under the heading of general medicine”.
Information which surprised many Internet users and health professionals, due to the positions defended by Denis Agret, who has become a leading figure in movements opposed to vaccination against Covid-19.
“No comments” from the restricted training side
“For reasons specific to national restricted training, […] it invalidated the decision of the regional restricted training,” confirms the vice-president of the National Council of the Order of Physicians Jean Marcel Mourgues.
Restricted formations are bodies which intervene on decisions at the regional level. In the case of Dr Denis Agret, it was the restricted formation of the Occitanie regional council which confirmed the decision to suspend his registration on the Order’s roll.
At the national level, there is also a restricted formation of the Council of the Order of Physicians, whose mission is to rule on appeal on the decisions of the regional restricted formations.
Contacted by 20 minutes, one of the members of the restricted formation of the National Council of the Order of Physicians, at the origin of the decision, immediately explains that he has “no comments” to make. “I have no right to comment on this decision, which is not public.”
A decision “which does not bind the national council”
As Jean Marcel Mourgues explains, however: “This decision does not bind the National Council of the Order of Physicians”. The vice-president does not hide “that there is a certain disbelief” in the face of this decision, adding that he was not informed of it in advance. “It’s a mystery,” he marvels to 20 Minutes.
Concerning the operation of restricted training, these can be entered at the regional level “for two reasons”, explains Jean Marcel Mourgues: either for professional insufficiency or for a pathological condition. “It was therefore on one of its two questions that the panel considered that Denis Agret was not in the condition to exercise. »
In January 2023, the council of the Order of Physicians of Hérault had refused the registration of Denis Agret on the roll of the Order, due to “a pathological condition making the exercise of his profession dangerous”, as explained it France 3 Occitanie. A decision which Dr Agret had therefore appealed, but which had been confirmed by the restricted formation of the Occitanie Regional Council.
Can Dr Denis Agret resume his activity?
On paper, Denis Agret can once again carry out his activity. However, as Jean Marcel Mourgues indicates, it is always possible that the departmental council requests an appeal to the Council of State regarding the decision of the restricted national formation. “If a decision is made, it will be made very quickly,” comments the vice-president of the National Council of the Order of Physicians.
In addition, Dr. Agret is still concerned by a disciplinary proceeding, in which he was sentenced in the spring of 2022 in the first instance to a 3-year temporary ban, for his positions on vaccines and the pandemic.
Decision which the main interested party had appealed, but also the National Council of the Order of Physicians. The latter had appealed “at a minimum”, that is to say considering that the sentence handed down was too low. The National Council actually intends to request an aggravation (understand “a radiation”, specifies Jean Marcel Mourgues).
If the sanction is therefore not carried out for the moment, the hearing should take place “in the very next few months”.