A French doctor has apologized after facing backlash for suggesting that the first stages of possible coronavirus treatment start in Africa.
“If I could be provocative, should we not do this study in Africa where there are no masks, treatment or intensive care,” Dr. Jean-Paul Mira, who is in charge of intensive care at a Paris hospital, said in a televised interview on Wednesday, per New York Daily News. “We try things because we know that they are highly exposed and they don’t protect themselves.”
During the interview, Mira also discussed his skepticism over the tuberculosis vaccine being a viable treatment in Europe or Australia. He believed extensive access to personal protective equipment would impact the outcome.
People were quick to slam Mira for his comments about Africa.
"Africa isn’t a testing lab you pieces of shit," Star Wars actor John Boyega tweeted.
“Africa isn’t a testing lab. I would like to vividly denounce those demeaning, false and most of all deeply racist words,” Ivorian soccer star Didier Drogba tweeted. “Do not take African people as human guinea pigs! It’s absolutely disgusting.”
Mira apologized on Friday: “I want to present all my apologies to those who were hurt, shocked and felt insulted by the remarks that I clumsily expressed on [TV] this week.”
At this point, Africa has had the smallest number of COVID-19 cases among the six populated continents, though some believe that could be a result of poor testing. The virus has hit Europe and North America the worst.
News of potential vaccines has made headlines for the last couple of months. Earlier this week, scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine announced they had created a promising vaccine against coronavirus. Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals has begun working with the Trump administration on developing a vaccine. The FDA also shared that it will begin testing the drug used to cure malaria as a possible treatment.
