My Tiny Feed

lemonde.fr

France's Most Prescribed Drugs

Analysis of the most prescribed drugs in France, highlighting Doliprane's dominance and the high cost of innovative treatments.

Read original article in French

French

France

HealthFranceHealthcarePharmaceuticalsPrescription DrugsCost Analysis

Assurance-MaladieUpsa

Sophie Kelley

What was the total cost of the top 20 most expensive drugs in 2023?: The top 20 most expensive drugs cost the French healthcare system €7.3 billion in 2023, representing 28.3% of total drug spending.
Did the most prescribed drugs contribute the most to healthcare costs?: Despite high prescription rates, the most prescribed drugs did not contribute the most to healthcare costs. Innovative drugs used to treat severe or chronic illnesses accounted for the largest portion of healthcare spending.
What was the second most prescribed drug in France during the same period?: Dafalgan, another paracetamol-based painkiller, was the second most prescribed drug, with significantly fewer prescriptions (71.6 million boxes) compared to Doliprane.
What was the most prescribed drug in France between June 2023 and June 2024?: Doliprane, a pain reliever, was the most prescribed drug in France between June 2023 and June 2024, with 308.2 million boxes dispensed.
Besides paracetamol-based drugs, what other commonly prescribed drugs were mentioned?: While paracetamol-based drugs dominated the top 20 most prescribed medications, other widely used drugs like Zymad (vitamin D), Kardegic (antithrombotic), Ventoline (asthma treatment), and Spasfon (antispasmodic) also featured.

Jan 21, 07:09

France's Early COVID-19 Response: Internal Communications Reveal Critical Failures

On January 22, 2020, a Chinese patient hospitalized in Paris with a high fever triggered internal discussions within the French Ministry of Health, revealing concerns about the lack of equipment for airport screening and highlighting the significant challenge posed by the numerous flights between Wuhan and Paris; the WHO's delayed international alert further complicated the situation.

Jan 21, 19:10

France Issues Warning on Illegal 'Aphrodisiac Honey'

French customs officials warned against consuming illegally imported honey laced with erectile dysfunction drugs after record seizures in 2024, including 13 metric tons in Marseille and 238 kilograms elsewhere; the honey, often from Malaysia, Turkey, and Tunisia, is sold illegally in places like nightclubs.

Jan 21, 19:10

Bayrou Splits French End-of-Life Bill: Assisted Dying Faces Uncertain Future

French Prime Minister François Bayrou plans to split the end-of-life bill into two separate texts—one on palliative care and another on assisted dying—to address concerns and potentially expedite the legislative process, despite opposition from some lawmakers and advocacy groups.

Jan 19, 19:09

Oncologist's Methylene Blue Cancer Claim Sparks Warnings and Investigation

Dr. Laurent Schwartz, a Parisian oncologist, controversially claims methylene blue cures cancer, a claim rejected by the scientific community, leading to investigations and warnings against its use due to its inefficacy and potential harm.