Burns, allergies, constipation, sore throats, migraines, dizziness, cold sores, colds, smoking… Faced with difficulties in accessing their doctors, more and more French people are choosing to buy medicines without a prescription to relieve their daily ailments. Even if it means paying a few euros out of their own pocket for lack of a prescription. Citing additional savings for health insurance, pharmaceutical companies are advocating for wider access.
In 2023, more than 349 million visits to French pharmacy counters were for purchases of non-prescription products. While self-medication is gaining ground in France, it remains below the trends observed among our European neighbours. “ Currently, around 23% of everyday ailments are treated with over-the-counter products in France. In the UK, the figure is 27% and in Germany, 47%. »points out Luc Besançon, general delegate of NèreS, the federation representing manufacturers of primary care medicines.
The reason is the low number of molecules authorised by the government for sale on optional medical prescription. Currently, the list of drugs that, like paracetamol, can be purchased free of charge in pharmacies contains almost a hundred molecules. But it has the potential to last twice as long, says the professional organisation. Pharmaceutical laboratories have thus identified 99 molecules, already available in other European countries and whose risk profile has been studied, which could be added to the French list.
Respect for the principle of equitable access to care
To convince the authorities, manufacturers are highlighting the potential savings that self-medication represents for health insurance companies. By 2023, the sector estimates that it will have saved the organisation more than 3.1 billion euros in expenses. Extending the list of drugs sold without a prescription to the 99 molecules identified would make it possible to further reduce the State’s bill from 201 to 377 million euros per year, NèreS calculates. These savings would come from 58% of the cost of avoided medical consultations and 42% from non-reimbursement of drugs, with treatments purchased without a prescription being the responsibility of the patient.
An argument that could hit the mark, since the Health Insurance foresees a deficit of more than 11.4 billion euros in 2024. Especially since this solution has the advantage of respecting the principle of equity in access to healthcare: “ We do not ask for reimbursement. These medications will always be covered when the patient has a medical prescription. The idea is to offer an alternative. »“This is the first time that the industry has been able to offer its customers a range of products and services,” says Vincent Guiraud-Chaumeil, vice-president of NèreS. The laboratories also point out that by avoiding visits to the doctor’s office to treat common benign pathologies, the sector saves healthcare professionals two hours of consultation time per day.
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