Aix-Marseille University takes measures against the excesses of its researchers after our revelations – L’Express

The patience of Eric Berton, president of the University of Aix-Marseille (AMU), seems to have reached its limits. After the excesses of some of its collaborators taking conspiratorial or vaccine-skeptical positions, including ex-colleagues of Didier Raoult, the AMU indicated to L’Express that it had “seized its ethics commission concerning the ‘expression of its agents on social networks’.

The university, to which the IHU Méditerranée infection de Marseille (IHUm) depends, made this announcement a few days after the publication, on November 16, of an article in L’Express pointing out its lack of transparency. The AMU had in fact never disseminated the content of an internal investigation revealing major ethical flaws in research work carried out under the direction of Didier Raoult, the former president of the IHUm, recently banned from practicing. medicine for two years. Our article also highlighted the problematic publications of Audrey Calvo, the coordinator of the AMU ethics committee. Responsible for “ethics and research” issues, she relays vaccine-sceptical articles on social networks and treats scientists denouncing the abuses of the IHUm or the “pseudo-researchers” and “pseudo-whistleblowers”. ‘AMU.

We also revealed that Eric Chabrière, a professor at the IHUm known for the extreme virulence of his comments on social networks against all people criticizing the IHUm, had published several messages violently attacking an independent researcher who had seized various bodies (including the commission for access to administrative documents) in order to be able to consult the university’s internal investigation.

That’s not all: other researchers from the IHUm in Marseille still working today and followed by thousands of Internet users regularly spread disinformation messages on the social network X (formerly Twitter), like Professor Philippe Parolawhose position as head of department was recently removed. These disciples of Didier Raoult, for example, exaggerate the adverse effects of Covid vaccines or promote hydroxychloroquine against Covid, even though the ineffectiveness of this treatment has long been demonstrated. In addition to the referral to the ethics commission on the expression of its agents on social networks, the AMU also announced the establishment of training in this area.

5,000 euros fine for contempt

In the case of Eric Chabrière, the excesses are not limited to social networks. The latter was in fact sentenced on Friday November 22 by the Marseille criminal court to a fine of 5,000 euros for trying to intimidate a gendarme, reports AFP. He has ten days to appeal. The court, which reclassified the facts as “threats” as “contempt” towards a guardian of public order, also ordered Mr. Chabrière to pay the gendarme 1,500 euros in damages in compensation for moral harm. The events took place in March, when the chief warrant officer of the Marseille maritime gendarmerie called Mr. Chabrière to remind him that he was summoned to their premises on March 21 as part of an investigation targeting him for harassment online.

In the recorded 18-minute exchange, this professor within the IHUm took advantage of his rank of reserve captain in the army and his knowledge – generals, admirals or maritime prefect. “You are nothing to summon me. In the army, people like you, I would put them in line. You will have the prosecutor and the entire gendarmerie on your back. Your career, I will put it in the red” , he told the gendarme, threatening him with a transfer to Brest or Mayotte. The defense of Mr. Chabrière, who had notably explained that if he had shouted at the gendarme, it was because his father “is deaf” and that he therefore “is used to speaking loudly”, did not not convinced the judges.

Threat of disciplinary proceedings

Neither the measures taken by the University of Marseille nor this conviction seem to worry Professor Chabrière. The latter in fact published dozens of messages on X this Friday, November 22, shortly after the announcement of his conviction. He attacks in particular another gendarme: Matthieu Audibert, gendarmerie officer, doctor of law specializing in… cybercrime. Reason for Mr. Chabrière’s vindictiveness? Mr. Audibert shared on X, four years ago, an article mentioning the existence of “heavy suspicions” as to the possibility that a troll factory (a multitude of fake automated accounts) is involved in the defense of Didier Raoult and hydroxychloroquine on social networks. But for Mr. Chabrière, it would be an insult.

“An officer […] who insults in complete casualness and attire? We will have to clean up,” he wrote on explaining: “They wanted to play. Too bad for them.” In other messages, the IHUm Professor believes that Matthieu Audibert’s departure from social network X would constitute an attempt to evade his responsibilities.

These tweets did not go unnoticed at the University of Marseille. “Regarding the Chabrière (sic) case and taking into account the facts which constitute a serious attack on the image of the university, we will reserve the right to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him,” indicated the University of Aix-Marseille, interviewed by L’Express about these new messages. When asked, Mr. Chabrière did not respond to L’Express.

The investigation by the Marseille prosecutor’s office still ongoing

Also reacting to the ethical abuses highlighted by its internal investigation concerning the IHUm in particular, the AMU added that in addition to having “transmitted without delay” the report “to the competent authorities” as soon as it received it , she also “seized the justice system by informing the prosecutor through the application of article 40 so that these breaches are the subject of legal action”. Aix-Marseille University further indicates to L’Express that it is determined to “remake the IHUm Méditerranée Infection a flagship of French research, by guaranteeing scientific ethics and scientific integrity”.

The university, whose image is tarnished by the behavior of some of its members and by this new report – after those of the ANSM and IGAS – also recalls that President Eric Berton has ordered an “inspection on the working conditions between 2020 and 2023, via the visit to the IHUm laboratories as part of the missions of the CHSCT of AMU and other supervisory authorities” and contacted the French Office for Scientific Integrity as soon as 2022. For its part, the Marseille prosecutor’s office is also investigating these suspicions of unauthorized clinical trials carried out at the IHUm.