New French Bill Could Make MRNA Vaccine Criticism Illegal
On February 15, 2024, Dr. Kat Lindley shared an article on X, entitled “France: Criticism of mRNA will be punishable in the future,” which quickly spurred multiple comments arguing the post was fake news. “It looks like fake news. There is no trace of this news outside X,” shared one user.
However, the claims made in the initial headline are true if French lawmakers approve of bill No. 111, also colloquially known as “Article Pfizer.” The full text of the legislation is available online through the French Senate’s website. The specific clause catalyzing concern on X is Article 4 Section 2, which reads:
“Provocation to abandon or abstain from following therapeutic or prophylactic medical treatment is punishable by one year of imprisonment and a fine of 15,000 euros, when this abandonment or abstention is presented as beneficial for the health of the persons targeted when it is, in the state of medical knowledge, clearly likely to result in serious consequences for their physical or psychological health, taking into account the pathology from which they suffer.”
While the legislation was passed through the French National Assembly earlier this month, it must still go back for a vote on the Senate floor. Therefore it isn’t true that criticism of mRNA will be punishable in the future unless bill No. 111 becomes law, but Thomas Oysmüller, the author of the initial article in TKP, is right to be concerned it could be.
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