Photo: lemonde.fr
Two actions were brought before the Montreuil Administrative Court. The Medicines Agency is accused of having delayed in properly informing patients about the risk of brain tumours despite warnings.
After the victims of Mediator and Depakine, it is now the turn of the victims of Androcur and other progestins (Lutenyl, Lutheran, etc.) to call the government to account. According to the daily Le Monde, the first two actions were filed on 7 March at the administrative court in Montreuil in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, where the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) is based. The actions are against the Ministry of Health and seek compensation of €748 777 and €361 515 respectively.
Of the 450 cases identified so far, approximately 50 appeals are pending. These are based on expert medical reports that question the delayed response of the health authorities, who, despite warnings, have properly informed people of the risks of meningioma (brain tumour) associated with this progesterone-derived hormone treatment. The French Ministry of Health and the ANSM declined to comment when asked.
Androcur (trade name cyproterone acetate), originally developed to treat hirsutism, is a drug that suppresses male hormones. Manufactured by the Bayer laboratory and marketed since 1980, it is widely prescribed to women for endometriosis, acne and contraception. Because of its anti-androgenic properties, it can also be given to transsexuals.
lemonde.fr/gnews.cz-JaV_07
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