French Doctors Catch Heat For Saying Africans Should Be COVID-19 Test Subjects

BYErika Marie5.4K Views
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COVID-19, Coronavirus, Africa, French Doctors
French doctors appeared on television and suggested that COVID-19 researchers should set up shop in African and use Africans as guinea pigs for their experiments.

Citizens from all over Africa voiced their ire on social media after two prominent French doctors made incendiary comments. On Wednesday, doctors Jean-Paul Mira and Camille Locht appeared on LCI, a channel on French television. While discussing the COVID-19 pandemic, Mira, who is the head of the ICU at the Cochin Hospital in Paris, suggested that researchers should set up shop in Africa and use Africans as test subjects.

"If I can be provocative, shouldn't we do this study in Africa where there are no masks, no treatment, no intensive care?" Mira asked. "A bit like we did in some studies on AIDS. We tried things on prostitutes because they are highly exposed and do not protect themselves." Locht, who boasts the title of research director at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, agreed.

"You are right. We are actually thinking of a parallel study in Africa to use with the same kind of approach with BCG placebos," Locht added, reportedly referring to vaccination against tuberculosis. Unsurprisingly, the backlash was swift from African citizens from all backgrounds. People weren't just angered, they saw the comments as a frightening take on how the "Western World" continues to view African people, their culture, and their country as disposable. You can see a clip of the broadcast above and few responses to the controversy below.

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About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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