French Doctors Stage Massive Protest Rally in Paris

Angry French doctors and health workers staged a protest march across the capital Sunday, gathering more than 40,000 people according to organizers and 19,000 according to police.

Doctors, interns, nurses and dentists have been protesting for weeks, with some staging a two-week stoppage before Christmas, to amend a controversial health bill that goes before a parliamentary committee from Tuesday.

An interns' association claimed 50,000 people took part in the rally while a surgeons' group put the numbers at 46,000.

The draft legislation notably provides for doctors to be paid in full by the state-run social security system by 2017, rather than the current system under which patients pay doctors and are then refunded by the system.

Medics fear the proposed change will hugely add to their paper-work, cause payment delays and open the door to administrative meddling in medical affairs.