• According to Florian Philippot, president of Patriotes, the High Authority for Health (HAS) cannot be considered independent.

  • According to him, all members are appointed by the President of the Republic.

  • But the appointment of members, particularly concerning the College, does not take place like that.

Since the beginning of the health crisis, the High Authority for Health (HAS) has played a central role in the management of Covid-19.

The public authority publishes numerous opinions to ensure the quality and sustainability of the health system in France.

But its independence is sometimes called into question.

Thus, recently, it was the president of the Patriots, Florian Philippot, who assured in a tweet that all members of the HAS were "appointed by the President of the Republic".

According to him, this would explain why the organization opposes the reinstatement of caregivers suspended after the refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Are these members really all appointed by Emmanuel Macron?

FAKE OFF

No, the members of the HAS are not all appointed by the President of the Republic.

The organization of public authority is much more complex.

In reality, it is made up of a College of eight people, considered as the “deliberative body”.

It is he who publishes the opinions and the various strategic orientations.

A single member is appointed by the Elysée, this is the President of the College.

Since December 2017, cardiologist and professor of biophysics Dominique Le Guludec has held the position.

This same president designates in turn to appoint the general management of the HAS – a position recently occupied by Fabienne Bartoli, former number 2 of the Afssaps, the French Agency for the Safety of Health Products.

Mixed appointments

Among the seven other members remaining in the College, four are appointed by the Minister of Health, with the obligation to appoint at least one person who has made a career in the medico-social sector.

In addition, there are two members appointed by each chamber of Parliament: the Senate and the National Assembly.

Finally, the last member is appointed by the President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE).

By decree, the members are elected for a period of six years.

 Questionable information?

Go through Whatsapp

But the College is not the only HAS entity.

It is also necessary to take into account the eight specialized Commissions which respond to different fields of action of the HAS.

It includes, for example, “certification of health establishments”, “evaluation of drugs”, or even “expertise on vaccines and vaccination”.

This long organizational chart is also accompanied by intercommissions as well as various committees.

In all, nearly 400 members, mostly healthcare professionals, make up HAS.

Outside experts are also involved, particularly in the context of the certification of establishments.

Guarded interests

In addition to nominations by various bodies, each employee or collaborator must respond to a declaration of interest.

The links of a new member are screened to verify a connection – direct or not – with professional organizations or companies in the sector.

And several cases of conflicts of interest have already been revealed in the past.

In 2018, for example, the anti-corruption association Anticor filed a complaint against experts from the High Authority for Health (HAS).

As part of a recommendation on the treatment of cholesterol, six experts (out of nine) were suspected of links of interest with pharmaceutical companies.

But why wonder now about the independence of the HAS?

In reality, Florian Philippot's tweet was published on July 22, the same day as the publication of a new opinion from the HAS on the reintegration of unvaccinated patients.

The organization then said that it was “in favor of maintaining the obligation to vaccinate against Covid-19 for personnel working in health and medico-social establishments”.

An opinion shared by the Academy of Medicine, the Scientific Council and the Minister of Health.

World

Monkey pox: The High Health Authority is in favor of reimbursement of tests

Health

Covid-19: The High Authority for Health recommends a 2nd booster dose for pregnant women and those under 60 with comorbidities

  • Health

  • fake-off

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Florian Philippot

  • Government

  • Covid-19