Журнал. World association for medical law. The COVID-19 pandemic. Volume 39 2

173 World Association for Medical Law Medicine and Law THE FIGHT AGAINST THE COVID 19 EPIDEMIC IN FRANCE: HEALTH ORGANISATION AND LEGISLATIVE ADAPTATION Anne-Marie Duguet* and Emmanuelle Rial-Sebbag** Abstract: The sudden and unpredictable nature of the Covid 19 epidemic exposed all countries to organize the fight according to their health system, culture and resources. The responses have been different and, as the pandemic developed, countries have been affected by the virus in different ways. Expertise gained in previous outbreaks, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), was not transferable in Europe because of the different means and social contexts. Knowledge of the virus and the modes of contamination have gradually improved, starting at the end of January 2020. The start of this pandemic only considered those with symptoms to potentially transmit the virus. Knowledge of transmission of the virus by healthy carriers necessitated widespread preventive measures, such as barrier actions and population containment. Public health policy in France has gradually prepared for the arrival of the virus with the activation of prevention plans, since the initial announcements of World Health Organisation (WHO). The epidemic has developed in France from clusters and the healthcare system has adapted to accommodate more and more patients. A health emergency law has been enacted. The impact of the law, on human rights, health regulations in the distribution of products and services, biomedical research and social protection and issues of ethics raised by these emergency measures are presented in this article. * MD PhD Emeritus Senior Lecturer UMR/INSERM 1027 Université Toulouse3 Paul Sabatier, Toulouse France. Email: aduguet@club-internet.fr ** Emmanuelle Rial-Sebbag PhD Research Director, UMR/INSERM 1027 Universite Toulouse3 Paul Sabatie, Toulouse France Med Law (2020) 39:2:173-188