2024-09-10 04:00:48
Twelve years of Marine Martin waited for this decision. Twelve years of the whistleblower leading the rebellion against Sanofi to make the pharmaceutical group aware of its responsibility for the Dépakine scandal, this antiepileptic drug marketed since 1967 and responsible for malformations and neurodevelopmental disorders in thousands of children of mothers treated during their pregnancy.
In a judgment handed down Monday 9 September, that Global Conspiracy, the Paris court ordered the French laboratory to pay him – as well as his two children – 284,867.24 euros in compensation. In its ruling, the court declared Sanofi “He is responsible for the lack of information on the risks of malformation and neurodevelopment of Dépakine, which he sells, for the distribution of the product known to be defective, and for the lack of care during the pregnancy of Madame Marine Martin, between 1998 and 2002 ».
Salomé, the eldest, was born with visual abnormalities and suffers from cognitive, visual and dyspraxic disorders. Florent, the youngest, was born with abnormalities to his face, hands and wrist – which required two surgeries -, developed attention and language disorders and was diagnosed with Asperger’s autism. As a student, you also need six hours of family assistance for daily activities.
“Thousands of children, special victims”
“This is a great victory because Sanofi, which called the ten-year statute of limitations, was rejected. They were convicted on the basis of guilt and Dépakine’s defect, reacts Martine Martin, founder of the Association supporting parents of children suffering from anticonvulsant disease (Apesac), which has more than 8,000 members today.. This opens the door to thousands of child, adult victims, who cannot hope to go to court. » The Nanterre Court has already ordered Sanofi to compensate the victims in 2022, but for more recent cases.
According to statistics – contested by Sanofi – from the Health Insurance and National Drug Safety Agency, sodium valproate, the active ingredient in Dépakine, is responsible for abnormalities (heart, kidneys, hands, fingers, eyes…) in 2,150 to 4,100 children, and neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, language delay, etc.) in 16,600 to 30,400 children.
The court rejected Sanofi’s requests for a prescription, but for a stay of procedures. “Sanofi has started a guerilla war of unconscionable law, comments Charles Joseph-Oudin, lawyer for Marine Martin and Apesac. It is urgent that the company rejects its behavior of insulting the victims of its product. »
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