Jean Paul Mira and Camille Locht, two French doctors, have been slammed on social media after stating that a treatment drug for coronavirus should be first tested in Africa.
In the video, the two medical experts cited the use of prostitutes in Africa to carry out test vaccine for the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as instance.
Mira, head of resuscitation department at Cochin Hospital, also pointed out that the continent should be considered because of its perceived toughness to disease outbreaks.
Watch the video below;
This is horrific. Two French doctors on live television are discussing how a potential new treatment against #covid19 should be first tested in Africa, "where are no masks, no treatment, no reanimation", "the same way experimental treatment for AIDS was done on prostitutes". https://t.co/ojYb8GnKkI
— Rim-Sarah Alouane (@RimSarah) April 2, 2020
The video was translated by Rim-Sarah Alouane, who quoted them to have said;
Dr Mira: “If I can be provocative, shouldn’t we do this study in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatment, no resuscitation, a bit like it has been done in some studies in AIDS, where among prostitutes, we try things, because they are exposed, and they don’t protect themselves, what do you think?”
Dr Locht: “So you are right[…]we’re thinking in parallel to a study in Africa precisely to make this same type of approach w/ BCG [vaccine]placebo,I think there is a call for tenders that was released or that will be released & I think we will indeed srsly think about that too”
Responding to the video, the Chief Executive of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera wrote;
We will be looking out for you when you arrive. Please consult Pfizer for their experience with their TROVAN trial in Kano;1996 resolved 14 years later in 2010.If you can’t find them, google it. Whichever way, hide real well cos, we are on the lookout if NIGERIA is on your radar.
They will be well advised to research the Pfizer case and my credentials in this types of matters. It will be a colossal error of judgment to do a trial here that doesn’t comply with the full ethical & safety protocols including “informed” consent. There’s a precedent already.