EXCLUSIVE
Has a "wild", and therefore illegal, clinical trial been conducted on hundreds of Parkinson's or Alzheimer's patients? The ANSM, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products, has just banned tests conducted partly in an abbey near Poitiers by the Josefa Fund structure, led by the controversial Professor Henri Joyeux, known for his battle against vaccines. Molecules with unknown effects have been tested in particular. ANSM has also taken legal action. Europe 1 was able to join exclusively a patient who was approached by the structure. And the information she gives us is inspiring.
A breach of trust at 1,000 euros for patients
For this patient suffering from a mild form of Parkinson's disease, the e-mail contact by a certain Josefa Fund started at the end of 2017. We were able to read this first mail and all those who followed to try to recruit her in this wild experiment. All the ingredients of a scientific scam are there.
First, the breach of trust: these pseudos doctors promise to the patient without any proof that their patch will be miraculous against Parkinson, disease for which nothing of healing exists to date.
But that's not all, far from it. According to these emails, it is explained to patients that to have the chance to participate in this clinical trial, they will have to rely on their financial generosity. Guinea pig patients were asked to pay at least 1,000 euros each, more if they feel like wanting to help science.
ANSM calls on patients to stop using patches
Elements that add to the risk for these patients to test a pseudo molecule of which we know almost nothing. This trial was stopped by the Medicines Agency, which had never authorized it. But the Vice-President of this fund Josefa, the controversial Pr Henri Joyeux, defends dubious practices. "Josefa Fund President Jean-Bernard Fourtillan has discovered a hormone that can be useful for patients, and I have confidence in his discovery," he says. "So, I do not see what's coming out with this abbey, he found a place where it was cheap to do what he wanted to do, it's not a clinical study, it has nothing to do !".
The ANSM insists however: the patients who participated in this wild experiment must obviously not use these patches any more and consult their doctor. On Friday morning, Health Minister Agnès Buzyn also strongly condemned her practices and assured that there will be sanctions and prosecutions.