The French government is planning to base state reimbursement of the cost of prescribed medicines on their effectiveness.
According to a recent study by the French national drug agency (Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé), 286 out of 1,176 currently reimbursable medicines tested are of no medical benefit. The study forms part of an effort to stem the spiralling costs of the French health system.
Copies of the agency's report have been sent to all the companies whose drugs have been tested. They have five weeks to respond to the findings. The agency's expert committee is to meet again at the end of October to consider the responses before drawing final conclusions about the products involved. It will then be for the government to re-evaluate the list of reimbursable products. Studies are currently under way to consider the effectiveness of antibiotics and medicines used to treat the respiratory and digestive systems.
Sixty-one per cent of medicines sold in pharmacies are covered by the state social security system. Private health schemes pay for another 19 per cent, leaving patients to pay for the rest.
So far, the agency has assessed four groups of medicines and classified them as effective, moderately effective, slightly effective or ineffective. Its findings were: