The Marseille infectious disease specialist, who became a controversial figure during the Covid-19 crisis, was heard this Friday by the disciplinary chamber of the New Aquitaine Order of Physicians.
Affected by two complaints, Didier Raoult was heard this Friday by the disciplinary chamber of the Order of Physicians of New Aquitaine, in Bordeaux. The infectious disease specialist, who has become a controversial figure, is accused of having violated the code of medical ethics by promoting the use of hydroxychloroquine to fight Covid-19, despite health recommendations.
A third complaint is also examined, this time filed by Didier Raoult, against Guillaume Gorincour, vice-president of the Departmental Council of Doctors of Bouches-du-Rhône of the Order of Physicians, for non-confraternity.
Disoriented audience
The audience was disoriented in New Aquitaine because the Order of Bouches-du-Rhône, due to a conflict of interest, did not wish to deal with this matter.
In front of his peers, since the ordinal jurisdiction, although chaired by Pierre Larroumec, president of the Administrative Court of Appeal of Bordeaux, is made up of eight doctors, Didier Raoult said he came because he had “respect” for the institution . “We are in the process of putting the research on trial,” said the Marseille doctor, however.
“I hear that I lack modesty, maybe it’s true,” admitted Didier Raoult. “I am the second most cited man in this country in the field of science,” he added.
“We started to do thousands of PCRs, and this first, while the Scientific Council of the time did not want to carry out large-scale tests”, defended the director of the Mediterranean University Hospital Institute. Infection (IHU), maintaining that “the Minister (of Health) Véran (him) said ‘Didier, there is no variant'”.
“The message of the State was dangerous”, also accused Didier Raoult. “Trump adopted hydroxychloroquine, it has become something of an extreme right-wing guy. I don’t know Trump, he does what he wants,” argued the 69-year-old man, who says he has “had everything in (his) life. (…) Even that”, he added with regard to the disciplinary hearing.
“A storm in a glass of water”, for Raoult’s lawyer
Didier Raoult’s lawyer, Fabrice Di Vizio, denounced before the ordinal jurisdiction “a storm in a glass of water”.
“The professor wants to be judged here by the guns of the law, he is not above or below, and this is the tragedy of this affair”, launched the council. “This is all nobody’s problem, whatever decision you take it will be bad,” admonished the lawyer.
“Emmanuel Macron calls the professor regularly. He listens but he does not necessarily hear,” said Fabrice Di Vizio. “What we reproach him for is having thrown a stone in the pond, that we had a problem in the management of this crisis,” he said.
About thirty demonstrators came to welcome and support Didier Raoult on his arrival in front of the Order of Doctors of New Aquitaine.