Self-medication has increased by more than 3% in one year. The French spend little, but they are mostly in favor of this mode of consumption.
Self-medication is on the rise. In 2016, this sector recorded more than 2 billion euros in profits. According to Afipa (1), sales have jumped 3.3% in one year. This is far superior to prescription drugs.
4 euros on average
If we add over-the-counter medical devices and food supplements, self-medication is a beneficiary of 3.88 billion euros. It must be said that the French are in favor of this mode of consumption. Questioned by OpenHealth, 91% of them say they are autonomous. They believe, in fact, to be able to manage their mild health problems without the assistance of a doctor. Moreover, 8 out of 10 already practice self-medication.
The French put forward several reasons for their consumption of over-the-counter drugs. They correctly identify the appropriate treatment and wish, to a lesser extent, to avoid unnecessary health insurance expenses. Expenses, on the other hand, are down slightly. On average, the population spends a little more than € 4 on self-medication.
Too calm a market
On the side of health professionals too, the attitude is positive. But the answers are more mixed. For example, almost all pharmacists believe that self-medication helps relieve medical practices. Only 59% of doctors agree with this statement. They think, on the other hand, that they will be able to concentrate more on serious or chronic health problems.
How to promote selfcare ? To achieve this, health professionals volunteer. 73% of doctors say they are ready to explain to their patients how to self-medicate. Pharmacists are also taking action. 86% would agree to counsel patients as a first resort.
Despite this collective enthusiasm, the market remains calm. In France, 15% of drug sales are self-medication. Among our German neighbors, 44% of the market is devoted to it. Afipa sees this as the result of political immobility. In order to shake up decision-makers, the industrial representative will therefore launch an information campaign and open letters will be sent to candidates for the presidential election.
The most consumed drugs
The French mainly resort to self-medication when they suffer from the small ailments of winter. 2016 illustrates this observation particularly well. Among the three most frequent reasons, appear the respiratory affections, the pains and the digestive disorders… with a peak at the time of the epidemics of gastroenteritis and influenza.
Not surprisingly, the top 10 most consumed drugs are associated with these mild illnesses. Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic treatment recommended in the prevention of flu-like conditions, tops the list, followed by Humex (cold) and Strepsil (sore throat).
(1) Afipa: French association of the pharmaceutical industry for responsible self-medication
.