Emmanuel Macron will present, Tuesday, June 13, a plan to relocate the production of drugs in France, in order to deal with structural shortages on imported products, from antibiotics to paracetamol. This trip to the site of the Aguettant pharmaceutical laboratory in Champagne (Ardèche) was preceded by a series of messages on Twitter. “Delegating the production of our essential pharmaceuticals to others is a dead end for the country”writes the president, who promises “Major Announcements”. Follow our live.
Recurring shortages. Antibiotics, paracetamol, antiepileptics, anticancer drugs… More and more drugs are running out of pharmacies, in France and elsewhere in Europe, causing growing concern among various players. According to the BVA study carried out for France Assos Santé (PDF) in March 2023, 37% of French people were faced with pharmacy shortages.
Dependence on foreign countries. France depends 60 to 80% on imports, particularly from China, for the production of so-called mature drugs (antibiotics, anesthesia products, etc.), a threshold that rises to 95% for biomedicines.
A list of “critical” drugs. To respond to these shortages, a list of 281 “critical” drugs, the production of which is likely to be relocated, was given to François Braun in mid-May. But it is still not published, raising many expectations in the sector. The president should provide details on its content on Tuesday.