The Ministry of Health deemed Wednesday, October 21 "
regrettable
" remarks recently made by infectious disease specialist Christian Perronne, who said that Covid patients represented a financial boon for doctors and hospitals.
To read also: Olivier Véran puts 15 million euros on "hospital hotels"
"
A general practitioner who declares a positive Covid test for one of his patients, he receives money
" in addition to the consultation, he said in particular on October 15 on the radio.
In fact, the ministry explained to AFP, doctors can in some cases charge a higher rate for their consultation for a Covid patient, as they could already do previously, for example, in cancer cases.
This system remunerates a longer consultation, with "
announcement of the positivity of the Covid test, prescription of tests for close contact cases (people living in the patient's home), reminder of barrier actions to the patient, registration of the patient and his cases contacts
”in professional software, details the ministry.
"
Within the framework of an already dense professional exercise: the ministry therefore doubts of any windfall effect for the doctors
".
"
Jackpot
"
In an open letter circulated on October 17, Professor Perronne had assured that his remarks were not aimed at doctors but "
the authorities
".
As for the resuscitation services for which it would be, according to Professor Perronne, the "
jackpot
" of keeping
Covid patients "for a
long time
", the ministry explains that, on the contrary, "
the constraint weighing on the resuscitation services is such that resuscitators must maintain very fluid management of their beds
”.
Read also: Could hydroxychloroquine have prevented 25,000 deaths in France, as Professor Perronne asserts?
"
Professor Perronne's assertions, which are not based on any tangible element, are regrettable
", estimates the ministry, "
because they reflect the questioning, by a doctor, of the deontology and ethics of medical and nursing teams
" .
And "
they discredit strongly mobilized professionals
", adds the Ministry of Health, which expresses its "
support (to) all doctors, caregivers and other professionals
".
On Wednesday, the French Federation against tick vector diseases (FFMVT) announced that it had dismissed Professor Perronne from his duties as vice-president and chairman of the scientific council, due to "
his deep disagreement
" with his words.
He is also in the sights of the Order of Physicians and the AP-HP (Public Assistance - Hospitals of Paris) since controversial comments around hydroxychloroquine this summer.
The ethics opinion issued by the AP-HP on him is "
confidential
" while the Order of Physicians will examine the case at the end of the year, the two organizations informed AFP.