The Minister of Health, Marisol Touraine, signed the reimbursement of Miffee, an abortion pill whose use worries French gynecologists, on January 20. Asked about it in a corridor of the Figaro on January 22, the minister told reporters she did not know what it was. “She had just signed the refund two days earlier”, comment the everyday.
This same newspaper published, on November 28, 2013, a letter signed by six professors of gynecology at the address of Marisol Touraine, notifying him their concerns regarding the drug. This is because Miffee can only be prescribed in combination with another medicine, gemeprost. However, this product is no longer marketed in France because of its side effects. Using Miffee with another medicine is equivalent to not respecting the marketing instructions, since its effects have only been analyzed when combined with gemeprost.
The monopoly at stake
By signing the reimbursement, up to 65% (the maximum rate of Social Security), as proposed by the High Authority for Health, “the Ministry of Health validates and promotes its use”, emphasizes Le Figaro. The European procedures would have been right to the opposition of France, of which the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines shares the concern.
Another story from the French laboratory Linepharma, which produces Miffee. Contacted by Le Figaro, his boss, André Ulman, defends himself: “It is up to the administrative authorities to provide information on this subject, it is not for you to do so. Since 1997, it is the same company (the Exelgyn laboratory, Editor’s note) which has a monopoly on the abortion pill with RU 486, I understand that it is difficult for them to lose the monopoly. “
