Former French ministers go on trial in AIDS blood scandal

1992 AIDS blood trial results:

Found guilty: Former head of the national blood transfusion center, Michel Garretta -- sentenced to four years in prison and a $100,000 fine. Former head of transfusion research at the center, Jean-Pierre Allain -- sentenced to four years in prison with two years suspended. Garretta, Allain and the center were also ordered to pay $1.58 million to the victims. Former public health director Jacques Roux -- given a four-year suspended sentence. Acquitted: Former Health Ministry laboratory director Robert Netter

February 7, 1999
Web posted at: 9:28 p.m. EST (0228 GMT)

PARIS (CNN) -- Three former French cabinet members go on trial this week on charges that they knowingly distributed blood products tainted with the virus that causes AIDS.

Former Premier Laurent Fabius, former Social Affairs Minister Georgina Dufoix and former Health Minister Edmond Herve have been accused of manslaughter for their part in the management of France's blood banking system in the 1980s.

Despite mounting evidence that AIDS was transmitted via blood transfusions infected with human immunodeficiency virus, and the availability of a U.S.-made screening test for HIV, officials delayed screening for several months until a French-made test became available.

French officials also distributed stocks of blood products to hemophiliacs despite information that the stocks were probably contaminated with HIV, and after a new generation of heat-treated products came on the market that eliminated the risk of HIV transmissions.

Some 1,200 French hemophiliacs were infected with HIV in the 1980s.

Three health officials were found guilty in 1992 on fraud and negligence charges in the case. A fourth defendant at that time was acquitted.

Court's first case

Fabius, Dufoix and Herve will appear before the Court of Justice of the Republic, created in 1993 to judge government ministers accused of wrongdoing while discharging their duties. It is the court's first case.

The three ministers, all Socialists, will face a panel of 15 judges -- three professional magistrates and a dozen members of parliament. A simple majority is necessary for a finding of guilt, and the ruling cannot be appealed.

Christian Le Gunehec, former president of the French Supreme Court's criminal chamber, will preside.

The trial begins Tuesday and is expected to last three to four weeks.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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