Drug victims sue the state

Androcor is widely prescribed to women for endometriosis, acne or as a contraceptive, but it can cause brain tumors in some patients.

Two administrative requests were filed before the Administrative Court of Montreul in Seine-Saint-Denis against the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM), franceinfo has learned, confirming information from the lawyer of the two Androcar victims, Charles Joseph-Odin. the world.

The requests aim to seek compensation from the state for victims of the drug, Androcor, a progesterone derivative, which can cause meningiomas, brain tumors, in some patients. This drug, initially developed against hirsutism, and marketed by Bayer since the 1980s, is widely prescribed to women with endometriosis, against acne or as a contraceptive.

Androcar’s dangers have been known since the 2010s

Victims have accused the state of specifically delaying the implementation of preventive measures, even though the dangers of Androcar and meningiomas have been known for many years. On the 2022 ANSM publication, we can read that “This risk has been known since the 2010s”. In 2009, Androkar was, in fact, the subject of special monitoring at the European level for the risk of the appearance of meningioma. In 2011, the European Medicines Agency requested that this risk be included in the package leaflet.

From 2018, the ANSM published a report on the risk of meningioma associated with taking Androcor. In particular, she founded “Risk of meningioma increases with duration of use”.. ANSM also set up a toll free number for patients exposed to this drug. Without banning the use of AndroCure and its generics, the ANSM then recommended to doctors that “To educate patients about the risk of meningioma”No“Considering the risk of meningioma, assess the benefit/risk ratio for each patient”Or just to suggest it “In compliance with the indications in the marketing authorization and in the lowest possible dose and for the shortest period”.

450 victims were identified

So currently two requests have been filed, but lawyer Charles Joseph-Odin cited more than fifty appeals out of about 450 identified files. “Given the number of victims and the responsibility of the state, we would like to see the establishment of a compensation system for these women, based on what was put in place for mediation or Depakine”The lawyer declares.