Emmanuelle Amar, the director general of the malformation registry in Rhône-Alpes (Remera), welcomed this Sunday, October 21, the government's decision to launch a new survey of babies born without arms in several departments.
"It was the only reasonable and wise solution . " Emmanuelle Amar, the director general of the malformation registry in Rhône-Alpes (Remera), welcomed this Sunday the government's decision to launch a new survey of babies born without arms in several departments. This announcement by Health Minister Agnès Buzyn, made a few hours earlier "Grand jury" RTL-Le Figaro-LCI , "is good news that I welcome ," she said. It's a big step forward. "I also welcome the fact that Ms Buzyn recognizes the scientific and social role of registers," she said.
A lack of "unbearable" explanation for the minister
Emmanuelle Amar directs the Remera, the oldest of the six registries of congenital deformities of France. Based in Lyon, this structure was founded in 1973 after the thalidomide scandal, an anti-nausea that had brought thousands of children without arms between 1957 and 1962. This summer, he revealed that several babies were born in the last years. years without hands, arms or forearms in a restricted area of Ain (7 births between 2009 and 2014). After an inquiry, the public health agency France concluded in early October that the number of Ain cases was not statistically higher than the national average. Conversely, there is, according to her, an excess of cases in Loire-Atlantique and Brittany, but which remain unexplained.
The scientist is pleased that the government "has distanced itself" from these conclusions and that Agnès Buzyn "finds it unbearable that these grouped cases have remained unexplained" . She asks that the new survey be conducted by "independent scientists" and not Public Health France. "Obviously we need to bring together people who have not been part of the scientific controversy" launched by an epidemiologist from Inserm.
Regarding the continued subsidy of registries also announced by the Minister, the director of Remera believes that "insurance medium-term, at least 3 years" . Emmanuelle Amar also reminds that a dismissal procedure is in progress (at Remera de l'Ain) and will be effective on December 31st. Five people are concerned.