Following three complaints filed against him for his criticism of the government’s health policy, the disciplinary chamber of the order of doctors of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté sanctioned Friday, November 4 Alain Houpert, senator of Côte-d’ Gold (LR) and radiologist, from a temporary ban on practicing medicine for 18 months, nine of which are suspended. The interested party already plans to appeal. In the meantime, the marks of support for the doctor are multiplying.
The first complaint had been lodged by the union of the French Union for Free Medicine (chaired by the sulphurous Jérôme Marty), the second by the Departmental Council of Côte-d’Or of the Order of Physicians and four doctors, the third by the National Council of the College of Physicians. In each case, the disciplinary chamber ruled in favor of the complainants, during a hearing which took place on October 10, 2022. The judgment has just been made public.
The latter justified its decision by denouncing thealmost irresponsable attitude” of the radiologist, whose media positions could not “what to add to the media confusion of the time” et “strongly discredit the actions taken by the health authorities in the context of the fight against a planetary pandemic”considers the disciplinary chamber.
Reason for complaints
The Côte-d’Or departmental council of the order of doctors and the union of the French Union for Free Medicine (UFML) accuse Alain Houpert of “disseminate through the press and publication on social networks erroneous and unscientifically proven information. While the latter has the specialty of radiologist, he claims a right to the prescription of a so-called early treatment protocol for the Covid, which is not based on any data acquired from medical science and has no reservations about this allegedly untested initiative. Dr. Houpert also engages in a systematic criticism of so-called PCR (Polymerase Chain reaction) tests which would not allow to actually estimate the number of “positive cases” and on the result of which “restrictive measures” would nevertheless be taken by the French government; – at the same time, Dr Houpert is leading a campaign stigmatizing the uselessness and ineffectiveness of vaccines made available to the public, and protecting against the spread of Covid.
As for the National Council of the College of Physicians, it attacks “the intervention of Dr Houpert in the video entitled Hold-up [au cours de laquelle il] calls into question the management of the health crisis by the public authorities and encourages health professionals not to follow the recommendations relating to the care of patients.“
Support is pouring in
Xavier Azalbert, publication director of FranceSoir, gave his support “full and whole” to Senator Alain Houpert in the face of this “shameful decision that goes against medical common sense“he told us.
“Common sense is now guilty by definition. The Hippocratic oath becomes, for those who choose to earn money by lowering their pants, a hypocritical sermon”reacted on Twitter the journalist of Sud Radio André Bercoff.
@alainhoupert, radiologist and senator, forbidden to exercise his profession by the disorder of the doctors of Burgundy. Common sense is now guilty by definition. The Hippocratic oath becomes, for those who choose to earn money by lowering their pants, a hypocritical sermon.
— André Bercoff (@andrebercoff) November 4, 2022
“The Thought Police Strike Again”a denounced the columnist Didier Maïsto. “This censorship is crazy. A danger to our freedoms, nothing else”its alarm columnist Alexis Poulin. “The dictatorship in motion”a increased economist Philippe Herlin. “Stupor” for the magistrate Charles Pratswho wonders: “A ordinal authority could therefore muzzle a parliamentarian of the Nation?”
Within the political world, the president of the group Les Républicains in the National Assembly, Olivier Marleix, brought on Twitter his “friendly support” to Alain Houpert:
Friendly support to my colleague@alainhoupert. On the prescription of Rivotril off-label in EHPADs, he was right to be indignant. Was it normal that we refuse to treat people based on age? https://t.co/iAGqh7WMVX
— ???????? Olivier Marleix (@oliviermarleix) November 5, 2022
“Where is the freedom of thought still in our country?”was indignant for his part Gilles Platret, vice-president of the Republicans:
Where is the freedom of thought still in our country? Where ! Total support my friend@alainhoupert, who would need much more to give up their role as a committed citizen and a free parliamentarian! https://t.co/nNfA46aHp1
— Gilles PLATRET (@gillesplatret) November 5, 2022
For her part, Senator LR Laurence Muller denounced a “a society where doubt is no longer allowed” : “It is absolutely no longer possible to have a reasoned thought, to pose arguments and counter-arguments, to support them, to weigh one’s reflection in order to define an intimate conviction. No, one must necessarily follow a line, a doxa, a political gospel”she lambasted.
1/4#full support to@alainhoupert– I claim the possibility of doubting, asking questions, and being indignant. We are in a society where doubt is no longer allowed. Any question becomes suspect. https://t.co/hl2i5Uua4Z
— Laurence Muller-Bronn, Senator for Bas-Rhin (@MullerBronnL) November 5, 2022
Same posture for Senator LR Sylviane Noël: “Funny democracy that France has become where it is no longer possible to express anything other than the official doxa…”she lamented. “All the parliamentary doctors have expressed their positions concerning the Covid and he is the only one sanctioned. Why?”, asked Senator LR Sylvie Goy-Chavent, after expressing her “total solidarity”. “Our colleague and friend A. Houpert is probably guilty of being right too soon and of having had the courage to say so!”his a answered Senator LR Christine Bonfanti-Dossat.
Signs of solidarity echoed by Florian PhilippotPresident of the Patriots, Nicolas Dupont-Aignanpresident of Debout la France, Gilbert CollardMEP Reconquête!, formerly a member of the National Rally, or even Stéphane Ravier, senator Renconquête!, also a former executive of the RN.
Serious abuses against the freedom of expression of parliamentarians this week.
Total support for my colleague @alainhoupert https://t.co/wSJqv44A8d
— Stephane Ravier (@Stephane_Ravier) November 5, 2022