For the European elections, the French expect a lot in terms of health.
Drug shortages, price fixing, compensation for victims of drug accidents, prevention… The French expect more from Europe in terms of health. These are the results of a CSA survey for France Assos Health, while the campaign for the Europeans has just officially been launched.
Drug shortages
According to the participants, health should be the fourth concern of the European Union, ahead of taxation and education. 91% of French people are in favor of an obligation of transparency on drug price negotiations between Member States and industry, and 90% believe that Europe must play a greater regulatory role with regard to drug shortages. “Drug shortages are a growing phenomenon that affects all of Europe. 500 major drugs concerned in France for the year 2018 alone. Ten times more than ten years ago. In question, questionable industrial strategies, a concentration of production sites and insufficient regulation by national and European authorities,” said France Assos Santé.
The vast majority of respondents want the public funding granted to the pharmaceutical industry to be subject to compensation in terms of price and access to innovative drugs. Finally, 90% of them want a revision of European legislation concerning compensation in the event of medication accidents.
Mediator, Depakine, Androcur, Implant files…
“Medication accidents claim tens of thousands of victims each year, and health scandals are on the rise (Mediator, Depakine, Androcur, Implants files…). However, compensation for victims remains very complicated. The European directive on liability for defective products is so restrictive and so favorable to the industry that it almost never gives rise to compensation”, argues France Assos Santé.
88% of French people also call on Europe to take measures to encourage Member States to invest more in prevention. On average, only 3% of state health budgets are devoted to it.
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