"In case of disagreement, please inform the secretariat BEFORE the consultation which may be cancelled." A gynecologist in Indre-et-Loire has been the target of violent criticism since Tuesday from associations against gynecological and obstetrical violence after Internet users relayed a note on his website that disregards the law on the right of patients.
Indeed, in a note (deleted from his site), the doctor indicates to patients who have made an appointment that the complete clinical examination includes "palpation of the breasts, the placement of a speculum for the smear, a vaginal examination, possibly an ultrasound with a vaginal probe and in certain pathologies (cancer, endometriosis), a digital rectal examination can also be performed".
The information note as it was posted on the gynaecologist's website until it was withdrawn on May 30.
If this may at first seem informative, the doctor indicates that patients must report to his secretariat before the appointment, and that the consultation can be canceled accordingly, a note "validated by the departmental council of the Order of Physicians," says the text, whose veracity the Parisian was able to ensure.
"If we want the professional to stop, he must stop"
These few lines, relayed in the first place by a midwife on Twitter, were enough to trigger the anger of associations against obstetrical and gynecological violence.
"There has been a law since 2002 that says consent is retractable at any time. If we want the professional to stop, he must stop. There is unfortunately a need to legislate, because there is no associated sanction in case of non-compliance, "deplores to the Parisian Sonia Bisch, founder and spokesperson of Stop Obstetrical & Gynecological Violence (StopVOGfr).
"When a woman makes an appointment, she knows she may have an exam, but she will never consent to what happens in violence or by surprise," she continues.
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The Collectif interassociatif autour de la naissance (Ciane) thus wished to publicly alert what was a consent obtained in due form, and contacted the gynecologist directly. "I wrote to him by email as an approved user representative, with the departmental council of the Order in copy, to inform him of what we think was wrong in this note," explains to the Parisian France Artzner, co-president of Ciane.
"What's terrible about this poster is that appointments are made well in advance. We threaten or put pressure on a patient when she needs care," adds Sonia Bisch.
"The case is ongoing" replies the Bar Council
France Artzner claims to have had a response from the practitioner following his email, which triggered the withdrawal of the note from his site. However, he has not yet responded favorably to CIANE's proposal "to help him properly inform about what the obstetrical gynaecology consultation and patients' rights are". Contacted by Le Parisien, the gynecologist in question did not wish to speak.
The departmental council of the Order of Physicians of Indre-et-Loire, to which the practitioner reports and which would have validated this note, evokes "a case in progress" about which he will not express himself for the moment. For its part, the National Council of the Order of Physicians did not respond to our requests even though it had recalled in March the rules for obtaining consent in force in the context of a gynecological examination.
