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In the literature devoted to humanitarian affairs, the Biafra war (1967-1970) is often portrayed as a place of renewal for humanitarian action. In fact, during this conflict, the future founders of Doctors Without Borders challenged the traditional principles of relief action established by the International Committee of the Red Cross ( icrc). By investigating the relationship between French doctors and the Swiss institution during the war, this article demonstrates that the activities of the French doctors were not as innovative as they were often alleged to be. Thus, without underestimating the existing tensions between the different protagonists, the article invalidates the premise of a real rupture between the icrc and French doctors during the Biafra war.