Why do some people think that France restricted access to hydroxychloroquine just weeks before COVID arrived?

The usual suspects…
Why Did France Restrict Access to Hydroxychloroquine Just Weeks Before COVID Arrived?
In this case, Del Bigtree, just off his tour of Europe which produced quite a lot of content proving that vaccines are not associated with autism, is now moving on to COVID.
Specifically, he wants folks to believe that there is some conspiracy and that French public health experts knew in advance that the COVID pandemic was coming.
Why?
Because they made hydroxychloroquine a prescription-only drug, moving it from its over-the-counter status on January 13, 2020, a few weeks before the WHO declared COVID a Public Health Emergency of International Concern!
Now, is that just a big coincidence?
Of course not!
There are no big coincidences - just coincidences.
And that’s easy to see when you look at the timeline of France making hydroxychloroquine a prescription-only medication.
A timeline that begins way back in 2018!
How does it begin?
On June 21, 2018, Sanofi requests an update for the pregnancy/genotoxicity information of the drug chloroquine (Nivaquine). As the ANSM (Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé) begins working on this, they also begin reviewing hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), as it is a similar medication.
“Following a notification by the Japanese authorities in 2015-2016 of a potential genotoxic effect of primaquine during pregnancy and assuming a class effect for molecules that are the derivatives thereof, Sanofi conducted a review of the medical literature and its pharmacovigilance base for chloroquine (Nivaquine®). The laboratory then submitted an application for amendment of the SmPC for the “fertility/pregnancy/breastfeeding” section to the ANSM working group in session on 21 June 2018. The ANSM has refused to amend the Summary of Product Characteristics (PCR) to be more reassuring considering that there is not enough data.
A second similar request was made a few months later by Sanofi for hydroxychloroquine (Plaquénil®) and studied by the ANSM working group in session on October 1, 2018. While the laboratory intended to demonstrate that the specialty had no significant genotoxic effect, the ANSM recommended the modification of the SmPC to advise against the use of hydroxychloroquine during pregnancy, which was not previously used for this molecule.”
The classification of hydroxychloroquine on List II of poisonous substances prevents its over-the-counter sale. Did three ministers say it all?
On October 8, 2019, the ANSM first proposed placing hydroxychloroquine on List II (a prescription medication), a proposal that is approved by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety on November 12, 2019.
Next, the order to make hydroxychloroquine a prescription medication is signed by the minister of health on January 13
And by now, it should be clear that all of this has nothing to do with the COVID pandemic, right?
And we simply have more anti-vaccine propaganda from Del Bigtree.
Propaganda that was easily refuted by doing a few minutes of research.

