In the 2012 savings plan, drugs will be at the center of health insurance cuts in France. The Government intends to lower their prices by more than 700 million euros due to the decline in the market and the diffusion of generics. However, the increase in generics was limited to 6% in 2010, far from the double-digit growth observed up to 2006. The pharmacists' union Uspo observes that more and more often the doctor, adding "irreplaceable" in the prescription, forces the sale of the most expensive branded drug. Generics account for only the 13% of the market, according to a report submitted to the Health Accounts Commission. On the other hand, sales of the most expensive biological hospital drugs (anti-cancer, anti-HIV, anti-arthritis) repaid at 100% are booming, representing more than 13% of this market share.
(Les Echos- Les Echos online – www.aboutpharma.com) 22 September 2011
