France is currently investigating several cases of newborns with drastic malformations. According to the local health authorities uncommon, many babies without hands, in some regions of the country, under arms or arms born. The results of the national survey will be published in about three months, said the head of the Public health service, François Bourdillon, on Wednesday in radio station RTL. “Nothing is concealed,” he promised.

The number of previously known cases of babies with such birth defects is pretty low. In the past 15 years, 25 cases in Brittany and in the Loire-Atlantique and Ain were known, as from the beginning of October, the health authority published a report. Nevertheless, they triggered a public discussion, because they were always in limited areas.

Agnès Buzyn: “We are reported to leave no track”

As Bourdillons authority on Tuesday from eleven other cases, in Ain, that grew the suspicion. The media and the experts asked questions to the true extent of the phenomenon.

babies with deformities such As the thalidomide scandal in Brazil continues From Kim Black

health Minister Agnès Buzyn promised a full investigation. “We will leave no trace,” she told the TV station BFMTV. “Maybe it depends on the environment, perhaps with something eaten by the mothers during their pregnancy, or inhaled”.

All relevant Tests passed so far, however, inconclusive. Some environmentalists suspect pesticides as a possible cause, as the cases appear, always in rural areas. Others speak of possible genetic defects. So far, there is also no evidence. “We can’t just say to leave, that we have not found any causes,” said the now Minister Buzyn.

France wants from the thalidomide scandal, learning

In the 50s and 60s, up to 12,000 babies had come worldwide with severe malformations to the world, whose mothers had taken during pregnancy a sleep aid with the active ingredient Thalimodid – known under the brand names Contergan and Softenon -.

As a consequence of the scandal was in France, a Register for the recording of birth defects (Remera). It was one of the employees of the register, Emmanuelle Amar, which had now drawn to the striking clustering of malformations in specific regions. Environmental activists, they will be celebrated for the other throw, however, including science colleagues, your panic.

sve / AFP