The national drug agency announced on Tuesday that it had seized the public prosecutor to inform him that doctors are prescribing antibiotics to "cure" autism.
While there is no known cure for this pathology to date, these drugs could have, in addition to their ineffectiveness, many side effects on young patients.
It is an extremely rare decision.
The Medicines Agency (ANSM) announced on Tuesday that it had seized the public prosecutor to report to him the case of doctors prescribing autistic children with antibiotics or substances supposed to eliminate heavy metals.
Informed via its whistleblowing procedure by the president of the SOS Autism association, Olivia Cattan, the agency collected in particular testimonials from parents and prescriptions that state these prescriptions.
No proof of "their effectiveness"
"The message we want to convey is a warning message to parents", explains to the microphone of Europe 1 Philippe Vella, director of drugs in neurology at the ANSM.
"These families can be in a situation of disarray in the face of a pathology for which there is no effective therapeutic treatment. We strongly advise against these uses which have not been proven effective."
This situation is all the more serious as these drugs can have harmful effects on children.
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Many possible harmful effects
"Anti-infective drugs present the risk of the occurrence of undesirable effects, in particular during long-term exposure. They can cause, in addition to digestive effects, cardiovascular and skin disorders, as well as other disorders specific to each antibiotic. used ", recalls the ANSM in a press release.
In addition, the Medicines Agency adds that "the use of antibiotics over a long period of time will contribute to the emergence of antibiotic resistance which will reduce the effectiveness of treatment in the event of proven infection" with heavy metals.
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5,000 children treated since 2012
According to Olivia Cattan, at the origin of the reports made to the ANSM, about fifty doctors would be affected by these prescriptions.
These health professionals would be in the movement of the Chronimed association, founded by the controversial professor Luc Montagnier, and they would have treated some 5,000 children since 2012. That year, Luc Montagnier, Nobel Prize in medicine for having participated in the discovery of the AIDS virus, defended the idea of an "infectious trail" to explain autism, causing an immediate distancing from the National Academy of Medicine.