This is an unprecedented demand for deception. At the Mediator appeal trial, the Advocates General asked the Paris Court of Appeal on Wednesday for a “confiscation of the profit” generated by Servier thanks to the drug, i.e. a maximum sum of 182 million euros, in addition to a fine of 13.5 million euros. The request leads to requisitions much heavier than the fine of 2.7 million euros pronounced in the first instance against the pharmaceutical company, or even than the total fine of around ten million euros. which had been required at this first trial.
For wide publicity to be given to a possible condemnation
To quantify their request, the representatives of the prosecution assessed the net profit generated by Servier on the worldwide sales of the Mediator during the period of prevention (1994-2009) at 153 million euros, to which they added the expenses of research and development related to this product, believing that the studies launched on the Mediator were intended to “try to save the drug”, and not to real research.
They also demanded that a wide publicity be given to a possible condemnation of the second French pharmaceutical group, with in particular inserts in the front pages of national newspapers, scientific publications and television spots at prime time.
Against Jean-Michel Seta, former general manager of Servier and the only natural person accused of this appeal, the prosecution demanded five years’ imprisonment, two of which are firm, which can be converted with an electronic bracelet, and a fine. of 200,000 euros. At first instance, in March 2021, he was sentenced to four years in prison suspended and a fine of 90,600 euros.