Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday a series of measures to limit drug shortages. Among them, the relocation of the production of 25 molecules “in the coming weeks”.
Emmanuel Macron unveiled, Tuesday, June 13, a series of measures to avoid shortages of so-called drugs “essential”, during its trip to the Aguettant laboratory factory in Champagne (Ardèche). Among them, the relocation “in the next weeks” the production of 25 molecules on French territory. All for one “total investment of 160 million euros”said the Head of State.
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These announcements come after a particularly tense winter in pharmacies and hospitals. The triple epidemic of Covid, influenza and bronchiolitis has increased the need for medicines in France, creating greater shortages than in previous years. Interviewed by Franceinfo, Nathalie Coutinet, health economist and author of The drug economy (La Découverte, 2018), analyzes the solutions put forward by Emmanuel Macron.
Franceinfo: Emmanuel Macron announced the relocation of 25 drugs “in the coming weeks”. Will this prevent further winter shortages?
Nathalie Coutinet : No, because there have been shortages of around 3,500 molecules this year. But it is an important first step to get out of the shortage situation for a certain number of so-called “essential” molecules. According to the list to be unveiled by the Ministry of Health, there are 450 molecules that are of concern, so 25 or 50 relocated molecules is insufficient.
The drugs that are targeted are those that have been in short supply in recent times and which, indeed, are important. Regarding amoxicillin, cited by Emmanuel Macron, it is especially the pediatric version that has been missing this winter, for reasons of cardboard and bottle. This is why, even if relocating is essential, because the most important in the production of drugs remains its active ingredient, this does not solve everything.
How do you view the investment of “more than 160 million euros” put forward by the Head of State?
We do not know what these 160 million are made up of and how they will be distributed. Moreover, how are these relocations financed? Partly with public money. Will the firms get their hands dirty? I am not sure.
In the list enumerated by Emmanuel Macron, there are companies such as Sanofi and GSK. These same companies have relocated to increase their profits and the dividends paid to shareholders. Why would public money finance these relocations? Nevertheless, if this money is used to finance small independent producers, it could be interesting to encourage them to continue to produce on French soil and to stay on this territory.
The President of the Republic also calls for “reviving the relocation and strengthening of production capacities at European level”…
The problem is that in Europe we are not self-sufficient in supply. Moreover, the situation regarding research and development is visibly deteriorating in France and in the European Union. The Old Continent is no longer capable of discovering drugs at the same rate as the United States. Today, the molecules coming onto the market come mainly from across the Atlantic. This creates a phenomenon of double dependence.
It is obvious that France cannot relocate all of the 450 drugs on the government list alone. It would not be economically interesting, because other European countries also have pharmaceutical skills. This is why it is absolutely essential that the member countries of the European Union set about it in a coordinated way.