Several Drugs in France Linked to Deaths, Charges Filed

A controversial trial has begun against the pharmaceutical giant Servier in France. The company is accused of involuntary manslaughter of diabetic patients through the drug Mediator. The trial will determine whether the pharmaceutical company is liable for the deaths of at least 500 individuals who used Mediator, according to the BBC Russian service.

Independent researchers claim that the number of fatalities associated with the pill could reach up to 2,000. Among those sitting in the defendant's chair are several members of France's drug safety agency (ANSM), who are accused of continuing the production of the medication despite numerous warnings.

The prosecution argues that Servier did not warn its patients about the complications associated with the drug's use. Developed in the 1970s, Mediator was originally intended for obese diabetic patients. Later, it began to be prescribed to anyone seeking weight loss by suppressing appetite.

The sale of the drug was banned in France in 2009, followed by bans in the USA, Spain, and Italy. The trial is set to continue until April 2020. Plaintiffs' lawyers accuse Servier of earning at least one billion euros from the sale of the lethal medication.