Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia, Inc. 03 Oct 95
Robert Netter, former head of the national health laboratory, and Jacques Roux, former director of public health, were notified by letter they were under investigation as suspected accomplices in poisoning, the sources said.
More than 1,250 hemophiliacs were infected by the tainted products in the mid-1980s. More than 400 have since died.
The blood scandal contributed to the demise of the Socialists who were routed in a general election in 1993.
In a first round of legal proceedings in 1993, Netter and Roux were sentenced to suspended jail sentences of one year and three years respectively on the lesser charge of fraud.
Michel Garretta, former head of the national blood bank, was jailed for four years. He was paroled earlier this year.
The second round of investigation was opened after friends and relatives of the victims complained tirelessly to justice authorities that those targeted in the initial probe had not been sufficiently punished.
Seven other former officials including Socialist former prime minister Laurent Fabius and Garretta, have become targets in the probe.
The justice sources said Netter and Roux were being probed over their role in France's delay in starting to test donated blood for the HIV virus, that leads to AIDS, in 1985.
France delayed approval of a U.S. screening test for seven months while French researchers rushed to perfect a rival product being developed at Paris' Pasteur Institute, according to investigators.
951003
RE951002
Copyright © 1995 - Reuters, Ltd. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Contact Reuters.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1995. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1995. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .