A new internal investigation was requested Friday, November 19 by the Assistance Publique des Hospitals of Marseille (AP-HM) following new accusations by
Mediapart
against the institute headed by Professor Raoult on the conditions under which the research on hydroxychloroquine.
Read also Why Didier Raoult is forced to retire
According to the news site, Friday, "
several members
" of the Mediterranean Infection university hospital institute, headed by Professor Didier Raoult, "
denounced the pressures exerted
" by him as well as "
the falsification of scientific results
" , in order to "
demonstrate the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine
" against Covid-19.
"
The reported facts, if they were proven, would constitute serious dysfunctions
", reacted the AP-HM in a
press
release, taking "
the initiative of an internal investigation in order to confirm the veracity of the facts reported by the press.
".
Concretely, explains
Mediapart
, “
more than ten people (biologists, doctors, interns or assistants)
” members of the IHU denounced “
the falsification of biological results allowing to conclude to the beneficial effect of hydroxychloroquine by biasing the results of PCR tests in a study comparing IHU patients taking the treatment and Nice CHU patients not taking it
”.
PCR tests rendered negative
"
The results do not go in the direction of Didier Raoult, the threshold of positivity of the PCR tests was modified, thus rendering negative a greater number of results for the patients followed in Marseille
", explains
Mediapart
, citing the testimonies of these members of the IHU during interviews in October with their respective employers, whether it be the University of Aix-Marseille, the AP-HM or even Inserm or the Research Institute for Development (IRD). In the
Mediapart
article
, all these testimonials are anonymized. Contacted by AFP, neither the IHU nor Professor Raoult wished to comment on
Mediapart's
assertions
and the opening of this investigation by the AP-HM.
Read alsoPr Didier Raoult: "I regret nothing"
The AP-HM had already requested an internal investigation within the IHU, on October 22, after another article, still from
Mediapart
, on alleged
illegal “
clinical trials
” against tuberculosis carried out since 2017 by the institute of professor Raoult.
The AP-HM had justified this investigation by the “
gravity and the potential extent of the reported facts
”.
“
There were no trials, only therapeutic choices by doctors,
” Didier Raoult replied on October 28 on C8.
Didier Raoult, retired at the end of August as a university professor and hospital practitioner, should leave the management of the IHU at the end of June at the latest.
The six founding members of the IHU and the president of this institute announced in mid-September the launch of the recruitment of a new director, who should be appointed no later than June 30.
This recruitment process should be officially validated by the IHU Board of Directors on Tuesday.