Sunday, September 25, 2011

French pharmaceutical CEO faces criminal charges

Reuters reports:
The head and founder of France's Servier laboratories was placed under investigation on Wednesday in a probe of the drug Mediator, which officials say has caused at least 500 deaths in France, and has sparked a public furore over drug regulation.

Jacques Servier, the company's president, is being investigated in Paris on suspicion of dishonest practices, deception over the drug's quality, and of falsely obtaining authorisation to sell it, said his lawyer, Herve Temime.
Bloomberg reports:
Jacques Servier, chairman of France’s second-largest drugmaker, must post bail of 4 million euros ($5.51 million) and his freedom may be restricted as he faces charges that he helped hide the risks of a drug suspected of causing the deaths of as many as 2,000 people.

Servier, 89, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, aggravated deception and fraud, the newspaper Le Monde reported, citing his lawyer.
If he has actually been charged with involuntary manslaughter, it seems a strange detail for Reuters to leave out.

No comments:

Post a Comment