French lawmaker proposes law to protect scientists from disinformation

French deputy Yannick Neuder has introduced a legislative proposal to the National Assembly aimed at protecting healthcare professionals and scientists from disinformation and abusive legal proceedings. Neuder, a former Minister of Health, argues that health-related disinformation has reached a scale that threatens the stability of healthcare systems.

The proposed law seeks to implement sanctions against complaints deemed “manifestly abusive,” specifically those intended to hinder the freedom of expression of practitioners who speak in accordance with established medical knowledge or official health recommendations.

Additional measures include providing legal protection for scientists working within public agencies and establishing a support fund for those outside the public sector. The proposal also suggests creating a new “infovigilance” system powered by scientific experts to monitor and combat health misinformation.