The indictment of the pharmaceutical group Sanofi in the criminal section of the case of the antiepileptic Depakine represents "an important step", welcomed one of the complainants, the president of Apesac Marine Martin, who had caused this health scandal in 2015.
“I am extremely satisfied to see the criminal proceedings that I initiated in 2016 take an important step. Sanofi will have to explain itself for the tens of thousands of poisoned victims, "she said in a statement.
The French laboratory announced Monday evening that it had been placed under investigation for "aggravated deception" and "involuntary injuries".
Complaints from 37 families
Thirty-seven families in total have lodged a complaint in this penal aspect of the case, alongside numerous civil proceedings and before administrative courts or even amicably, with the compensation body Oniam.
The investigation, opened in September 2016, aims to establish whether there has been a “deception on the risks inherent in the use of the product and the precautions to be taken which had resulted in making its use dangerous for the health of the human being "and covered the period from 1990 to April 2015.
The molecule in question, sodium valproate, has been marketed by Sanofi since 1967 under the brands Dépakine and Dépakote, as well as under generic brands. It is prescribed to epileptic patients suffering from bipolar disorder but presents a high risk of birth defects and delayed development for the fetus if it is taken by a pregnant woman.
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The complainants criticize the laboratory and the health authorities for taking years to update the package leaflet and then contraindicate it for women of reproductive age, when these risks had been described since the 1980s.