SFMC - Société Française de Médecine de Catastrophe

What SFMC - Société Française de Médecine de Catastrophe does

The Société Française de Médecine de Catastrophe (SFMC) is a French non-profit professional medical association (association loi 1901) founded in 1983 by Pierre Huguenard and headquartered at 1, place Alphonse-Laveran in Paris. It operates as a learned society dedicated to disaster medicine and exceptional health situations (Situations Sanitaires Exceptionnelles, or SSE), serving emergency physicians, SAMU personnel, nurses, paramedics, and first responders across French-speaking regions. Under President Dr. Catherine Bertrand, the SFMC employs approximately 25 staff and maintains a board and scientific/pedagogical committees composed of practicing clinicians and SPF experts. It is the publisher of "Médecine de Catastrophe – Urgences Collectives," the only French-language peer-reviewed journal dedicated to disaster medicine, released quarterly.

The SFMC's core outputs are knowledge artifacts rather than technology products. Its portfolio includes the quarterly journal, the VadeMecum pocket reference guide (50 essential questions, available in print and e-book at €29), a thesaurus of approximately 2,500 classified knowledge entries, 119+ SFMC Lettres, 70+ COVID-19 scientific newsletters by Pr Frédéric Adnet (over 240,000 downloads), and interactive training tools (NRBC Serious Game developed with SAMU 94 and Serious Factory, plus an NRBC knowledge-test questionnaire). The association has coordinated European research including IFREACT (11 partners, 6 countries) led by UPEC. Revenue is diversified across annual individual membership dues, journal subscriptions, book and publication sales, conference and colloquium registration fees, and educational program partnerships with UPEC, Sorbonne Université, and University of Corsica for diploma (DU) programs.

Distribution relies on a multilingual website (French plus 15+ language interfaces), a YouTube channel, medical bookstore channels (livres-medicaux.com), the em-consulte academic publishing platform, and university partnership programs. The SFMC holds a privileged partnership with Santé Publique France's Expert Committee on Territorial Health Resources in SSE, and multiple board members serve in formal advisory roles within SPF working groups and the National Medical Council's ethics committees. Its international footprint includes cooperation with Romania, Ukraine, Togo, and Benin, positioning the association as the institutional reference for French disaster medicine doctrine and a convener of civil-military, European, and francophone medical networks.

Name

SFMC - Société Française de Médecine de Catastrophe

Legal name

Société française de médecine de catastrophe

Website

https://sfmc.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Société Française de Médecine de Catastrophe (SFMC) is a Paris-based non-profit learned society (founded 1983) serving French-speaking emergency physicians, SAMU staff, and first responders by publishing the only French-language disaster medicine journal, reference guides, training simulations, and educational diplomas, and convening national and European expertise in exceptional health situations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Medical Association – Disaster and Catastrophe Medicine

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAGAI

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Medical & Health Sciences Universities

SECONDARYEDAHAGAA

Academic Medical Centers & Teaching Hospitals (University-Affiliated)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Medical & Health Sciences Universities

SECONDARYHLAFAAAA

Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) & Teaching Hospitals

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Acute Care Hospitals & Health Systems

Keywords

• Disaster medicine
• Emergency medicine training
• Professional medical society
• Medical publications
• NRBC training

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for individual healthcare professionals and institutions. The SFMC website features an 'Adhérer' (Join) section indicating membership-based revenue. Students receive one free year of membership.
2. Journal Subscriptions: The SFMC publishes and distributes the only French-language journal on disaster medicine (Médecine de Catastrophe – Urgences Collectives), with 4 issues per year. Revenue from institutional and individual subscriptions.
3. Book and Publication Sales: Sales of the VadeMecum (€29 per copy, available in French and English editions), the Manuel de Médecine de Catastrophe, and other publications. Also available through medical bookstores and direct publishing sales.
4. Conference and Colloquium Fees: Revenue from registration fees for annual colloquia and training events. Past events include conferences on armed conflicts, AI in disaster management, climate change and disasters, and ethics in catastrophes. Registration available online via form platforms.
5. Educational Programs and Diplomas: The SFMC recommends and participates in university diplomas (DU) and expertise programs in disaster medicine. This includes cooperation with UPEC and Sorbonne Université for specialized emergency management and humanitarian surgery diplomas. Revenue derived from partnership arrangements and educational endorsement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SFMC is a French non-profit professional medical association (association loi 1901) founded in 1983 in Paris, dedicated to the discipline of catastrophe and disaster medicine. It disseminates specialist expertise to healthcare professionals through peer-reviewed scientific journals, reference books, NRBC (nuclear, radiological, biological, chemical) training tools, a curated thesaurus, professional congresses, training and diploma programs, and a newsletter and YouTube channel.

Product overview

SFMC operates as a professional medical society that produces a comprehensive portfolio of disaster medicine resources. The core offerings include the quarterly scientific journal 'Médecine de Catastrophe - Urgences Collectives' (the only French-language journal dedicated to disaster medicine), the Vademecum pocket reference guide (50 questions on SSE), and interactive training tools like the NRBC serious game. The society organizes annual conferences and congresses covering contemporary topics such as catastrophes and ethics, armed conflicts, climate change, and AI in disaster management. Additional resources include a thesaurus with 2,500+ entries, newsletters including 70+ Covid-19 scientific updates by Pr Frédéric Adnet, and educational partnerships with universities for diplomas in disaster medicine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Revue Médecine de Catastrophe - Urgences Collectives Peer-reviewed scientific journal covering catastrophe medicine, mass casualty events, and emergency collective medicine, published for clinicians, researchers, and emergency medicine specialists.
• Vademecum de Médecine de Catastrophe Comprehensive reference handbook on catastrophe medicine practice for healthcare professionals and emergency responders.
• Serious Game NRBC aux Urgences Interactive serious-game (simulation-based training tool) designed to train emergency department staff in NRBC (nuclear, radiological, biological, chemical) response protocols.
• Test de Connaissances NRBC Knowledge assessment test on NRBC topics used by healthcare professionals to evaluate and certify their competence in nuclear, radiological, biological, and chemical emergency response.
• Thésaurus SFMC Curated knowledge base and terminology thesaurus on catastrophe medicine, used as a reference resource by practitioners, researchers, and students.
• Newsletter SFMC Periodic newsletter distributing SFMC news, society activities, event announcements, and specialty updates to members and subscribers.
• Colloques et Congrès SFMC Professional colloquia and congress events organized by SFMC for clinicians, researchers, and emergency medicine practitioners to exchange knowledge on catastrophe and disaster medicine.
• Formations et Diplômes SFMC Training programs and diploma/qualification courses delivered by SFMC in catastrophe and disaster medicine for healthcare professionals seeking specialty certification.
• Chaîne YouTube SFMC YouTube channel publishing educational video content, conference recordings, and specialty lectures on catastrophe medicine for the medical community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 240,000 newsletter downloads on Calaméo, with 4,000 subscribers to the personalized mailing list
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Romanian StateminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Romanian State requested SFMC cooperation for setting up disaster medicine training programs and COS stages in Romania. SFMC is also present in Togo supporting the University Diploma in Disaster Medicine at the School of Health Service in Lomé.
• ANCESU (Association Nationale des CESU)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022ANCESU provides pedagogical conductors and scripts for teaching emergency collective modules and specialized AFGSU modules. SFMC recommends the ANCESU website for training resources.
• Santé Publique FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021SFMC holds a privileged partnership with the Expert Committee of Santé Publique France on 'Territorial Health Resources in Exceptional Health Situations.' SFMC President Catherine Bertrand and multiple board members serve as experts in SPF working groups under Benoît Vivien's presidency (VP of SFMC). Experts from SFMC scientific and pedagogical committees participate in SPF advisory structures.
• Université de Corse Pascal PaoliminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Since 2017, a university diploma (level II, Bac+3) on disaster event management is organized annually at the Université de Corse in Corte with SFMC pedagogical participation. Accessible to employees and professionals, it focuses on sensitization and preparation for managing exceptional health events.
• SAFSU (Journées de Médecine d'Urgence du Pays Basque Intérieur)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Created in 2014 and led by active healthcare professionals and medical training specialists, SAFSU organizes annual emergency medicine conferences integrating exceptional health situation themes (pandemic, white plan, risks).
• Association Les TransmetteurscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Founded in 2005 by Xavier Emmanuelli, Les Transmetteurs reinforces medico-social structures during crises and provides training. Members are primarily retired physicians who participate in disaster medicine exercises and medical regulation support. They operate the SOS Crise hotline (0800 19 0000) with 80 volunteers. SFMC describes this as a key partner for emergency coordination.
• Cellules d'Urgence Médico-Psychologiques (CUMP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995CUMP are emergency psychological units mobilized for disaster victims (terrorist attacks, climate events, accidents). A French innovation created in 1995 by Xavier Emmanuelli. Composed of psychiatrists, psychologists, and specialized nurses providing psychological emergency medicine alongside SAMU and fire services.
• SFMU (Société Française de Médecine d'Urgence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFMC collaborates closely with SFMU on SSE matters and GT SSE (Groupe de Travail SSE). Both societies co-organize congresses (Congrès Urgences) and share expertise. SFMC participated alongside SFMU at Congrès Urgences 2026 and SFAR 2026.
• UPEC (Université Paris-Est Créteil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPEC coordinated the 3-year IFREACT European research project (11 partners, 6 countries) with SFMC President Dr. Catherine Bertrand as scientific coordinator. SFMC recommends UPEC's 'Expertise dans la gestion des interventions d'urgence' diploma program.
• UkraineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFMC is active in Ukraine, providing expertise on chemical risks and disaster medicine support in the context of ongoing conflict.
• SAMU Social International (SSI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated in 1998 by Dr. Xavier Emmanuelli (co-founder of MSF), SSI aims to develop SAMU SOCIAUX in major cities worldwide according to SAMU Social values and methods. SFMC maintains a privileged link with SSI.
• SGGIF (Société de Gériatrie et Gérontologie Île-de-France)minorOthersSGGIF mobilized during the COVID-19 pandemic and made training video capsules available to SFMC. In all exceptional health situations and disasters, elderly populations require adapted care and shared competencies.
• MRMI (Medical Response to Major Incidents)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe internationally recognized MRMI program simulates SSE response from pre-hospital to intra-hospital settings with multi-professional and multidisciplinary participants. A 3-day course with scenarios adapted to the French health context, based on Pr. Sten Lennquist's renowned work.
• AAIHEDN (Académie de l'Action Humanitarian et des Editions de la Défense Nationale)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFMC maintains ongoing exchanges and partnerships with other learned societies and AAIHEDN for civil-military cooperation in disaster medicine.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): International humanitarian organization providing medical care in conflict and disaster settings. Relevant peer given SFMC's civil-military cooperation work and engagement with Ukraine and other conflict zones.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): International medical humanitarian organization active in disaster and conflict zones. Comparable as a French-rooted organization operating in disaster medicine contexts with training and field response programs, though operational rather than professional-society model.

Emerging players

• Wilderness Medical Society: Specialty society focused on wilderness and austere-environment medicine, producing peer-reviewed content and training. Comparable niche learned-society model with strong publication and education focus.

Direct peers

• SFMU - Société Française de Médecine d'Urgence: French emergency medicine professional society that co-organizes Congrès Urgences with SFMC and shares expertise on SSE matters. Most direct peer — same country, overlapping healthcare professional audience, complementary (not competing) focus on emergency vs. disaster medicine.

Broad incumbents

• WADEM - World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine: Global learned society for disaster and emergency medicine that publishes Prehospital and Disaster Medicine journal. SFMC is the French-language counterpart and member of this broader international community, both serving as knowledge-hub associations for the discipline.
• International Federation of Emergency Medicine (IFEM): Global federation of national emergency medicine societies; SFMC participates through European collaborations. Comparable in being an association-driven knowledge network rather than a commercial entity.
• European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM): Pan-European emergency medicine society whose members overlap with SFMC's audience. Both societies engage in training, congresses, and European policy on emergency and disaster preparedness.
• American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP): Largest US emergency medicine professional society, publisher of Annals of Emergency Medicine. Functions as a structural analog — professional society producing peer-reviewed publication, training resources, and advocacy for emergency practitioners.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SFMC-catastrophe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sfmc-soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7aise-de-m%C3%A9decine-de-catastrophe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SFMC - Société Française de Médecine de Catastrophe