“As long as there is no decision from the Medicines Safety Agency”, it is necessary to “bring them back to the pharmacy”, recalls the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions.

“The Agency must now take action and tell us whether UFC-Que Choisir is right or whether there is bias in the investigation,” Philippe Besset said on franceinfo on Thursday. The consumer protection magazine published an investigation into the effectiveness of many expired medications.

“Until there is a decision from the Medicines Safety Agency, expired medicines must be returned to the pharmacy.”recalls Thursday, September 19 on franceinfo Philippe Besset, president of the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions of France (FSPF) and the Liberal Health Workers (LBS). According to a study by UFC-Que Choisir, eight out of ten expired drugs retain 90% effectiveness, sometimes 30 years after the expiration date, “a huge waste” lamented Perrine Vennetier, editor-in-chief of Que Choisir Santé on franceinfo on Thursday.

“You may have confidence in UFC-Que Choisir. I have a certain amount of confidence in UFC-Que Choisir, but I have confidence in my health security agency.”said Philippe Besset.

While the government wants to control the surge in health spending, the consumer association’s investigation could very quickly reach the table of drug players: “We have regular interface committees with the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines, and we have one on Friday.”specifies the president of the FSPF. “The Agency must now take action and tell us whether UFC-Que Choisir is right or whether there is bias in the investigation,” he estimated.

Philippe Besset is not going to immediately ask for the expiry dates of medicines to be reviewed. “I will ask that the investigation be checked. If it turns out that they are right, that the investigation was carried out with recognized scientific purity, the date must be changed. On the other hand, if they are not right, the investigation must be denied.”he explained.

The FSPF president does not reject the UFC-Que Choisir investigation in advance: “If industrial processes have improved for these drugs as well as for vaccines, for example, and we can keep the drugs, and we can have much longer expiry dates, that’s great.”he rejoices.