Since Tuesday, the public database on the drug has gathered all the data available on products still on the market. It marks the launch of a vast project.
“The public drug database should provide access to reliable and independent information, gathered on a transparent platform,” said Marisol Touraine at a press conference. Hosted on medicaments.gouv.fr, “This database marks the first step in the government’s plan to set up a public health information service,” added the Minister of Health.
Data from official institutions
Accessible freely and free of charge, this database contains educational information on the drug. It includes all the data available on products marketed or discontinued for less than two years. The platform is aimed at the general public as well as healthcare professionals.
“It must be the only comprehensive public repository on drugs,” noted the Minister, who also plans to make it a lever in terms of good use and a tool to promote less consumption of drugs.
In addition, all the data on this platform is supposed to be reliable and impartial, because it comes from three official and recognized institutions in the world of health: the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), the National Workers’ Health Insurance Fund employees (Cnamts) and the National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety (ANSM).
Finally, this database could also do useful work concerning the safety of the medicinal product, since it will also be possible to declare any undesirable effects on a product therein.
Improvements are still possible
However, this platform is set to evolve, “particularly in view of the first feedbacks of use”, explained Marisol Touraine. “Our ambition is to allow patients to enter the base from the disease and no longer just from the drug,” she added.
François Hébert, Deputy Director General in charge of operations at the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM), also indicated that the database would be updated every month, but that the most sensitive information (alert, indication restrictions, contraindications, etc.) will be posted as soon as possible. He nevertheless noted that drugs benefiting from a temporary authorization for use (ATU) were not included in the database, “but that this could be a lead for future developments. “
The SMR will appear on the medicine boxes
At the same press conference, Marisol Touraine also confirmed that she was considering including the actual benefit (SMR) on the medicine boxes. A code that allows the patient to easily know the effectiveness of the product he has in his hands. The Minister of Health added, without giving further details, that the SMR could be affixed depending on the pathologies concerned.
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