He holds an Doctor of Medicine from the University of Paris (1977), an Master of Science from McGill University and a Doctor of Philosophy from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris (Information, Risk and Decision, 1986).
He focuses on the impact of numerous drugs on populations and risks associated with work. He is recognised as one of the greatest French General Director of Health (Surgeon General). He is a Professor of Public Health at the University of Paris 5 (2003–present) and an Honorary Professor of Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (2005–present).
He has previously taught as a Full Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McGill University (1989–1999).
He held the position of General Director of Health of France (1999–2003). In this later capacity he oversaw the public health of the country and participated in European regulatory decisions.
Quotations: "Appetite-Suppressant Drugs and the Risk of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension".
He also was an elected Member of the Executive Committee of the World Health Organization (2002–2003).
