Pharmacists in Sarthe region facing fines after accepting illicit presents from a lab
In a landmark ruling, seventeen pharmacists from the Sarthe region were fined for unlawfully receiving advantages from a healthcare provider, Urgo Laboratories, in the ongoing Urgo affair. The sentencing took place in the tribunal in Le Mans on September 19, 2024.
The case was reported by ICI Maine (formerly France Bleu) and has been making headlines since the illegal gifts came to light. The fines for the pharmacists range from 0 to 75,000 euros, with the largest fine going to a pharmacist of 75,000 euros, with 35% being definitive.
The illegal gifts, as revealed in the case, included champagne and jewelry. The fines for the pharmacists are 'close to the value of the gifts received,' according to the court.
This is not the first time a high-profile figure has been implicated in the Urgo affair. Former Health Minister Agnès Firmin Le Bodo was fined 8,000 euros, with 4,000 suspended, in October 2024 for illegally received gifts in the Urgo affair. Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, who was a pharmacist before becoming a minister, was charged with the same offence as the pharmacists in Sarthe.
Similar cases have been reported in the Aude region, suggesting that the Urgo affair involves pharmacists and a laboratory across multiple regions in France.
In a separate ruling, the Dijon tribunal fined Urgo Laboratories 1.125 million euros in January 2023, marking the total amount involved for the laboratory exceeding one million euros.
The total number of pharmacists and individuals implicated in the Urgo affair is yet to be disclosed. However, it is clear that this affair is part of a larger affair that has shaken the healthcare sector in France.
In 2024, Agnes Buzyn, a doctor and former Minister of Health in France, was also fined 8,000 euros for improperly receiving gifts in the Urgo scandal. The Urgo affair continues to unfold, with ongoing investigations and legal proceedings expected in the coming months.
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