Big Pharma, the Paranormal & Mysterious Deaths...

It is information from Le Canard Enchaîné. According to the weekly, the test purpose of the BIA 10-2474 molecule would have been intended to provide scientific arguments to parapsychology. The director of the lab Portuguese Bial would be fascinated by the paranormal, his personality is singled out.

While most critics were previously sent to the research center Rennes Biotrial this time, the Portuguese Bial laboratory, which is referred.
Le Canard Enchaîné takes the words of Professor Marescaux, former head of the neurovascular unit of Strasbourg hospitals, which have conducted extensive research on the Portuguese laboratory, on behalf of the lawyer for the family of the deceased patient, Jean-Christophe Coubris, lawyer expert in medical compensation, following the trials.

The manager focused on the paranormal

Citing a lack of "therapeutic target," the professor takes issue with the personality of the boss of the laboratory. He says Luis Portela "fascinated by the paranormal" and particularly interested in parapsychology.

Officially, the treatment was supposed to relieve pain and anxieties. Investigations following the accident will likely examine the question of the objective.

The BIAL Foundation also assigns Scientific Research Scholarships for the neurophysiological and mental study of the human being, arousing the interest of researchers in the areas of Psychophysiology and Parapsychology.

To date the BIAL Foundation has supported 537 projects, about 1200 researchers, with research groups in twenty-five countries. The research funded by the BIAL Foundation in the areas of Psychophysiology and Parapsychology from 1994 to July 2015 resulted in the publication of a total 759 articles and abstracts in indexed journals, 602 of which in journals with an average impact factor of 3.1. In July 2015 there was a substantial number of citations (6490), with 84 publications cited more than 20 times.

Since 1996 the BIAL Foundation organizes the Symposia entitled "Behind and Beyond the Brain", a Forum that gathers well renowned neurosciences speakers and the BIAL Foundation Fellows which are spread around the world.

Classified as a non-profit institution of public utility, the BIAL Foundation includes among its patrons the Portuguese President, the Portuguese Universities Rectors' Council and the Portuguese Medical Association.

Everything has gradually come together to make  the Rennes drama impossible to disentangle. Two new pieces of information come to support this disturbing hypothesis . The first lies in the statements reproduced by The Daily Physician, Prof. Pier Vincenzo Piazza. Dr. Piazza is director of Neurocentre Magendie (INSERM) in Bordeaux - a temple of reason and nearly two hundred people. He is also a scientist of great repute doubled atypical personality, if one believes the beautiful painted portrait that recently devoted Le Monde: "Pier Vincenzo Piazza, addicted to addiction" (Florence Rose).

On December 8 Professor Piazza, 54, received the Grand Prix Inserm 2015 "for all of its research on the pathophysiology of psychiatric diseases." On November 24, the Academy of Sciences had honoured Lamonica price of Neurology. A distinguished career devoted to individual differences in the Arabian addictions available to man. "One of the main contributions of my group was to reveal the existence of an individual biological vulnerability to addiction, he said. There are twenty-five years, this concept was not at all clear - and to dismantle the mechanisms. "

Incomprehensible

Thirty years later it is said of him that he is, again and again, a nonconformity. Today he talks about the case of mortal trial in Rennes. "The accident occurred during this test can not be related to the endocannabinoid system, says Professor Piazza. The only problems encountered to date have arisen with inhibitors of this system. Or the tested product, on the contrary, a stimulatory effect. At least three other molecules with the same mode of action are also currently in late Phase II trial without causing any incident. "

The application filed in April by the Portuguese group BIAL for the Phase I of the BIA 10-2474 concerned, officially, a product tested for its analgesic properties, an inhibitor of FAAH enzyme. That is involved in the degradation of anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid present naturally in the body. "Now experiments on cannabis, with much higher doses than those administered during the test of Rennes, were never allowed to observe complications such as those presented by hospital volunteers," says Professor Piazza. Evoking an "off target" effects, exceeding here the only inhibition of FAAH and acting on other receptors as the endocannabinoid system?

Strange lesions of the hippocampus

"All the patients had more or less serious lesions of the hippocampus, observes Professor Piazza. These can be either cytotoxic or vascular types. There is definitely a problem with this molecule, but we do not have enough pieces of information. "For now, the Rennes University Hospital refuses any communication. Why ? The General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (IGAS) noted, in turn, "major deficiencies" including criticizing Biotrial of administering the molecule to the other volunteers the day after the hospitalization of the first volunteer. The Committee of Experts appointed by 2 ANSM for the survey is, for now, come to any explanation. Why ?

It is in this context that we must make a second state information. the one found in Le Canard Enchaîné (dated it March 2) quoting Prof. Christian Marescaux (neurovascular-Neurology Unit, University Hospital of Strasbourg).

Parapsychology

This neurologist challenges the Portuguese laboratory BIAL, the trial sponsor leads to Rennes by Biotrial. It explains in particular that the manager of this firm is "fascinated by the paranormal" and he presided for twenty years the Bial Foundation which supports research in parapsychology; as can be seen here. The French satirical weekly cites the German website Deutsche Apotheker Zeitug who is very interested in the subject.

Le Canard Enchaîné also cites Coubris me, the lawyer of the family of voluntary death in Rennes quoting Professor Marescaux, "specialist complications due to cannabis" which evokes "the probable hiding the real purpose of the study, was no doubt about the role of endocannabinoids, and in particular of anandamide in parapsychological phenomena. " Neither Professor Piazza, nor Professor Marescaux are included in the list of experts appointed by the national drug safety agency.


1 The name is a contraction of the Sanskrit ananda, meaning "bliss" and amide, chemical function.

2 Under the authority of Professor Bernard Bégaud (Bordeaux) the CSST is composed of Ms. and Mr. Marie-Germaine Bousser Pascal Cohen, Bertrand Diquet, Pierre Duprat, Walter Janssens, Michel Mallaret Guy Mazué Joëlle Micallef-Roll, Claude Monneret, Jean-Louis Montastruc and Laurent Venance. Three "observers" to attend work: Annick Alpérovitch (President of the Scientific Council of ANSM), Gilles Duhamel (General Inspectorate of Social Affairs - IGAS), Hans-Georg Eichler (Senior Medical Officer, European Medicines Agency - EMA).

Since its launch, applications to the BIAL grants have been increasing. Up to now 537 projects have been supported, involving about 1200 researchers from 25 countries.

The approved applications have benefited from grants in amounts comprised between €5,000 and €50, 000. The amount to be granted is fixed by the Scientific board according to the needs of each project.

The research funded by the BIAL Foundation in the areas of Psychophysiology and Parapsychology from 1994 to July 2015 resulted in the publication of a total 759 articles and abstracts in indexed journals, 602 of which in journals with an average impact factor of 3.1. In July 2015 there was a substantial number of citations (6490), with 84 publications cited more than 20 times.

Among the BIAL Foundation fellows is worth highlighting the presence of scientists from prestigious universities from the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, France, Australia, Russia, Spain and Japan, among many others.

A short time ago a clinical trial in Rennes went wrong, leaving one dead and several victims. Investigations are ongoing.
March 3, 2016, a hypothesis is reported in the press, launched by Le Canard Enchaîné: this clinical trial hid a pseudo-scientific experiment in parapsychology! This is based on the report of Dr. Christian Marescaux, former head of the neurovascular unit Strasbourg known for being a whistleblower, report he wrote at the request of counsel for the family of the deceased.
This hypothesis is interesting, and did not fail to be relayed by numerous media, including Sciences et Avenir. It perfectly illustrates the contemporary relations between the French company and parapsychology. But what does it rest?

The Bial Foundation and the paranormal

For Dr. Marescaux after protocol analysis (available here), there probably were errors in the product delivery rate, and in the late reaction of the researchers face the first symptoms. It also suspect the therapeutic goal of the study, which does not appear clear to him, and the fact that the product is tested for a wide range of 14 diseases. From this he infers his main hypothesis: this trial was pursuing a hidden purpose, a test substance developing psychic abilities!
In fact, this assumption has been raised by "experts" consulted by the anonymous German newspaper Deutsche Zeitung Apotheke, dated January 31, 2016.
The link is obvious: the Bial Foundation, associated with pharmaceutical Bial responsible for the clinical trial funding research in parapsychology. To tell the truth: it is the largest private investor in this tiny field for over a decade! The president of Bial, Luis Portela, was even made an honorary member of the Parapsychological Association for his help.
In France, as pointed Sciences et Avenir, the founding of the International Institute psychic has received several scholarships (actually 4 since 2004) for experimental research, applied and theoretical in this field at the frontiers of science. Obviously, the Bial Foundation takes care of financing also neuroscientists and psychophysiological research advanced. Its home page lists 537 funded projects, 1,200 researchers from 25 countries, with the subsequent publication of 759 articles, mostly in journals with high impact factor. Projects are selected on scientific criteria by recognized researchers (usually academics). Parapsychologists and scientific mainstream coexist in regularly organized seminars by Bial since 1996. And it was from there that prejudices do the rest ...

Parapsychology, dangerous science

In France, parapsychology is considered a pseudo-science. I explain in my book The Legend of mind: survey of 150 years of parapsychology (Motion, 2016) why this sport has had to operate outside the academic world, after a period of rubbing shoulders with the scientific community, particularly in the field of psychology.
However, this view is not shared everywhere and by all. Parapsychologists forward several arguments to show that their research is legitimate and that their institutional base is quite respectable. The professional organization of the Parapsychological Association is part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1969; a dozen academic departments have units of research and teaching on parapsychology and psychology anomalistique nothing in the UK; parapsychological publications find themselves increasingly in mainstream journals in psychology, physics and other fields. Many findings objectives that are very troublesome. It is easier to believe that parapsychology necessarily mean bad science, it is not possible to rigorously address these issues without falling into credulity and fraud. Do not push too far to discern a dangerous science ... In short, prejudice against parapsychology are in France, one of the best things shared.

Anandamide molecule psi

Another element of the dossier: the studied molecule, as the code BIA 10-2474, promotes the production of an endocannabinoid, substance already present naturally in the brain. One of the endocannabinoid called "anandamide" has already been associated with strange experiences. For Le Canard Enchaîné, the association is the fact Buddhist mystics and cranks parapsychology. Really ? To check this, I contacted my colleague David Luke, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Greenwich, near London. It is one of the world specialists of the relationship between substance and parapsychology (cf. Luke, 2012).
He explained that several surveys have shown a link between cannabis use (and thus the anandamide receptor system) and experienced "paranormal" (eg, Tart, 1993). But few direct studies of the effects of marijuana (or taken out of the laboratory) performance for experimental parapsychological tasks, such as extra-sensory perception under Ganzfeld (eg Bierman, 2000). In any case, according to David Luke (personal communication, 03/04/16), nothing that distinguishes anandamide other psychedelic agents with similar effects. Other substances would better candidates in a clinical trial, such as dextromethorphan (DXM), relatively harmless substance that produces the highest incidence of telepathic group experiences, to his knowledge.
Let us proceed and supputons these remarks, as "experts" German and French, as Bial wanted to test the possibility that this molecule promotes the "function PSI". How to prove this intention? Reading the protocol shows no signs of such use. The only measurements are physiological and clinical. There is no psychological or psychometric measures, and even less parapsychological tasks. Pharmaceutical companies are obliged to follow very strictly established protocols. Dr. Marescaux he has the protocol deviation of evidence in a parapsychological sense?

Occult science ... or obscured?

The accusation is rather heavy and Bial spokesmen defend any equation. I do not want to defend this company: My dearest wish is that after investigation, the guilty are convicted as provided by law. However, that does not stop to take a step back on the reasoning associated with the report of Dr. Marescaux.
It was therefore a charge on one side for a pharmaceutical company that makes the mistake of engaging openly and officially as support of scientific parapsychology. And this same accusation that extends in denouncing occult research, made fresh, in French labs, in defiance of all rules. What interest Bial? Just look at its overall performance vis-à-vis the parapsychological research: the support the foundation provides is designed to recognize the field, pulled from the margins where it is still, especially in countries like ours, if there would be something interesting to discover. All searches are valued, including publications in refereed journals. For what reason do occult research can never be valued that way?
An anecdote - that proves nothing, but nevertheless questioned - David Luke told me that several of its projects to test the links between psychoactive substances and paranormal have been rejected by the Bial Foundation (who accepted his other projects : this has nothing to do with his skills). Those who easily slide on the side of conspiracy theories have something to pour water on their mill: Bial does not wish to formalize its research on miracles molecules for better practice in smuggling ...
I do not know what it really is, I have not the end of the story and I would be happy that the "experts" reveal the elements underlying their conspiracy theory. I respect whistleblowers, but they are as free as leaders. It is quite damaging to apportion blame, especially when they are scapegoats of choice. What a difference between anti-bias parapsychological and other racial prejudice? (Point Godwin reached) If we had to condemn all scientists who have had the misfortune to be interested in parapsychology, what carnage that would be! What would the neurologist Christian Marescaux without EEG Hans Berger, whose discovery is due to paranormal experience he had and that put him on the path of "waves of thinking" and "the psychic energy "(Millett, 2001)?



[Update 03/09/16] When the Nazi killing parapsychology

I thought I had achieved alone point Godwin, but drew my attention to an interview given by Pr. Marescaux France 3 published on 4 March 2016. It reiterates some unfounded statements, including the Bial Foundation has "sole interest parapsychology ", while claiming to be legitimate to ask the question of the relationship between the clinical trial and parapsychology, even if he has no answer [that is to say, in truth," no evidence "]. At the end of the interview, he combines Bial, parapsychology and Nazism, pretending to quote a document associated with the protocol:

        "One of the publications sponsored by Bial on parapsychology history refers to the work that has been made in the Strasbourg Reichuniversität between 1941 and 1944 (...) In the scientific community, it is prohibited to refer to the work that was made by German physicians under control of Nazi medicine in that period. See the origin of parapsychology is the work that has been done in Strasbourg under Nazi occupation, and that it does not bother Bial, seems incredible. "

A few remarks are in order:

   The fact that we could be interested in the history of parapsychology in the Nazi period does not in anything to the idea that the origin of this discipline is to look at this period. Modern parapsychology was born a gathering of scholars of Trinity College, Cambridge, who founded in 1882 the Society for Psychical Research (still active), having been preceded by a few pioneers in France, as I describe in my book.
   The book to which Prof.. Marescaux probably refers is the thorough work of the University history professor Frank-Rutger Hausmann Freiburg (2006). We are hardly found a link between Bial, Nazism, the origin of parapsychology and the clinical trial in Rennes, research Hans Bender is doing more on a psychological side as strictly medical, and never to support Nazi doctrines (french summary of the book available here).


Pr. Marescaux So now hears prejudices without bothering to check his facts (on this very French prejudice associating Nazism and parapsychology, see Méheust, 2004). Journalists turn these statements into information makes them accomplices of such an error. For his part, Le Monde reported on the investigation without repeating speculation circulated by Le Canard Enchaîné.



Renaud Evrard
Doctor of Psychology
Lecturer, University of Lorraine