The turnover of self-medication in pharmacies fell by 3.7% to 2.2 billion euros in 2017, after two years of strong growth, according to the annual study by Afipa, the association which brings together professionals in the sector.
“While elsewhere in Europe, governments rely on the development of self-medication and undertake education campaigns, no measure of this type has ever been implemented in France by the public authorities” deplores Afipa. “And this, despite the national health strategy 2017-2022 which places prevention and health promotion at the heart of the priorities”.
The sale of homeopathic medicines on the rise
It is mainly non-prescription drugs for the respiratory tract that have lost ground (-8.4%), followed by analgesics (-4.1%) and drugs for the digestive tract (-2.7%). The first two segments declined due to low activity winter viruseslast year and the obligation to sell codeine painkillers on prescription only.
Conversely the sale of homeopathic medicines recorded a growth of 2.4% with in particular the anti-influenza drug Oscillococcinum, which remains number one in sales of non-prescription drugs.
The food supplements market also recorded a very strong increase with overall growth of + 12.1%, driven in particular by strong demand for supplements for sleep and relaxation (+ 28.2%).
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