On October 4, 2024, French actor Michel Blanc died at the age of 72. Emblematic in Les Bronzés in particular, he left behind millions of fans. Since then, theories have circulated about the causes of his death, particularly after the presumed cause of his death was anaphylactic shock linked to contrast media.
Difficult to accept the death of such an icon. Michel Blanc passed away at the end of last week, receiving a wave of tributes from his fans and all the artists who collaborated with him. At the age of 72, he disappeared under circumstances that have yet to be determined. Although strong suspicions rest on a anaphylactic shock linked to a contrast product injected to carry out a health examination.
Contrast product
It was enough for social networks to take up the subject. The actor would have suffered a heart attack triggered by anaphylactic shock, a violent and rare allergic reaction, indicates France Info. And this reaction would be linked to a substance decried by conspiracy circles: iodine or gadolinium. On X, the proponents of the theory are certain: “It’s this product that killed Michel Blanc.”
These are so-called products of “contrast”. Injected before examinations – iodine for scanners, gadolinium for MRIs – they are used to make certain roughness or substances appear more clearly in the body. A very useful tool for doctors to detect more or less trivial health problems.
In France every year, five to six million people undergo a CT scan or an MRI, Professor Olivier Clément reminds our colleagues at West France. The head of the radiology department explains that only around fifteen anaphylactic shocks result from this, four of which are fatal. An extremely rare and, moreover, unpredictable event.
Health professionals are alerted to these risks, and follow the recommendations of the ANSM which reminds us that: “These immediate hypersensitivity reactions, although rare, can be life-threatening and sometimes fatal.”
To patients living with multiple sclerosis and who are concerned about gadolinium injections during a follow-up MRI following the announcements made on the circumstances of Michel Blanc’s death:
1.We are not aware of Michel’s medical file…
— Florian Deygas (@FloDeygas) https://twitter.com/FloDeygas/status/1842304954440327605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The opportunity for stakeholders in the health sector – but also in disability and the monitoring of chronic diseases – to sound the alarm: no, contrast products are not to be feared.
Conspiracy theory
The subject should be taken with a grain of salt: not only because we are not sure of the cause of the actor’s death. But also because if it is indeed the contrast product which is the cause, this does not make this substance something systematically dangerous.
If through negativity, certain conspiracy theorists would be tempted to make this dramatic exception the rule, it must be remembered that contrast products are primarily used diagnostic tools. And that its extremely rare harmful effects are unpredictable, and most often very well managed by the doctors present in the radiology practices. There is no point in creating fear around these substances, used by professionals with the intention of healing.
