French judges probe firms over vaccinations -source

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French judges probe firms over vaccinations -source

_http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssHealthcareNews/idUSL0173467120080201_

(http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssHealthcareNews/idUSL0173467120080201)

 

 

Fri Feb 1, 2008 3:32am EST

PARIS, Jan 31 (Reuters) - French authorities have opened a formal

investigation into two managers from drugs groups GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L:

_Quote_

(http://www.reuters.com/stocks/quote?symbol=GSK.L) , _Profile_

(http://www.reuters.com/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=GSK.L) , _Research_

(http://www.reuters.com/stocks/researchReports?symbol=GSK.L) ) and Sanofi

Pasteur over a vaccination

campaign in the 1990s, a judicial source said late on Thursday.

Judge Marie-Odile Bertella-Geffroy also opened an investigation for

manslaughter against Sanofi Pasteur MSD, a joint venture between Sanofi Aventis

(SASY.PA: _Quote_ (http://www.reuters.com/stocks/quote?symbol=SASY.PA) ,

_Profile_

(http://www.reuters.com/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=SASY.PA) , _Research_

(http://www.reuters.com/stocks/researchReports?symbol=SASY.PA) ) and Merck

(MRK.N: _Quote_ (http://www.reuters.com/stocks/quote?symbol=MRK.N) , _Profile_

(http://www.reuters.com/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=MRK.N) , _Research_

(http://www.reuters.com/stocks/researchReports?symbol=MRK.N) ), the same source

said.

The investigations follow allegations that the companies failed to fully

disclose side effects from an anti-hepatitis B drug used in a vaccination

campaign between 1994 and 1998.

There was no immediate comment from the companies or the two managers

involved.

From 1994 to 1998, almost two thirds of the French population and almost all

newborn babies were vaccinated against hepatitis B, but the campaign was

suspended after concerns arose about possible secondary effects from the

treatments.

Some 30 plaintiffs have launched a civil action in the case, including the

families of five people who died after vaccination. (Reporting by Thierry

Leveque; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by David Holmes)

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