French stage director and actor Arnaud Denis died at the age of 43 by euthanasia in Belgium. His lawyer, Me Philippe Courtois, confirmed the news to Agence France Presse. Courtois explained that Denis made the decision in consultation with three doctors from Namur. Denis was suffering from severe pain for many months and had lost control over his body, which he said made it impossible to continue living. He asked Courtois to continue his personal work and support his family. Denis had a polypropylene prosthesis implanted during a right inguinal hernia surgery in July 2023. However, he experienced significant pain and various side effects afterward. He claims to have been diagnosed with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis and Asia syndrome, a condition involving inflammation due to the body's rejection of the implant. In 2024, Denis decided to have the prosthesis removed in the United States. He believed he was a victim of a health scandal and formed a group called Victimes françaises des prothèses de hernies, which collects hundreds of testimonies from people who have experienced similar issues with hernia implants. Denis filed a complaint on January 5, 2026, against an entity referred to as X for involuntary injuries. His lawyer stated that they have already challenged the dismissal of this complaint. The complaint was reportedly classified without further action at the end of August, with authorities acknowledging a possible link between Denis's symptoms and the implant but stating that no scientific causal link had been established to pursue criminal liability against the manufacturer or the doctors involved. According to another report, 216 people had reported serious adverse effects to the French Agency for the Safety of Health Products (ANSM) after undergoing hernia prosthesis surgery. Denis's lawyer, Pierre Debuisson, confirmed that they have collected an additional fifty reports and plan to submit more to ANSM in the coming weeks. Debuisson noted that in at least 5 to 10 percent of cases, the implants caused a significant decline in quality of life, making it difficult to maintain professional, sports, or sexual activities, and in some cases leading to suicide attempts or suicides. The ANSM stated that reinforcement mesh implants were reclassified in 2017 as high-risk medical devices under the European Regulation 2017/745. Recent patient reports and international publications have raised concerns about the risks associated with these implants. The agency has implemented market surveillance actions and will share the results with stakeholders to evaluate the current situation and decide on future steps. It also reminded patients and healthcare professionals that they can report adverse effects directly through its online portal.