In a book, Juliette Ferry-Danini, researcher in the philosophy of medicine, questions the effectiveness of Spasfon, often prescribed for painful periods. According to his work, no scientific study can prove that it relieves this pain.
- Juliette Ferry-Danini, researcher in the philosophy of medicine, reveals that no scientific study demonstrates the effectiveness of Spasfon in relieving menstrual pain.
- The drug is marketed in a few countries, including France.
- According to this specialist, the prescription of Spasfon to women, despite its ineffectiveness, constitutes discrimination.
A small pink pill often found in French medicine boxes. In 2021, more than 25 million boxes of Spasfon were prescribed in the country. Called phloroglucinol in its generic version, this pink tablet is generally recommended to relieve period pain, stomach aches or in case of contractions. According to a researcher in the philosophy of medicine, Juliette Ferry-Danini, its effectiveness has not yet been proven. She explains it in a book, Pink pills, ignorance in medicinepublished on Wednesday October 25 in Stock editions.
Spasfon: a drug marketed in few countries
Authorized since 1964 in France, the drug is mainly prescribed to women. “I was prescribed Spasfon when I had a stomach ache, especially for period pain.tells Juliette Ferry-Danini Huffington Post. After several doses, I concluded that the medication had no effect on me. Later, when I had an IUD inserted, I was prescribed a Spasfon before insertion to ‘protect’ me from pain. When I saw how much the medical procedure had hurt me, I was challenged.” This pushed this specialist to start research on the subject. She quickly noticed that the drug was only marketed in France and a few other countries. “For me, it was a first point of alert“, she explains.
Period pain, stomach aches: a lack of proof of the effectiveness of Spasfon
His investigative work allowed him to note that there is a “real lack of convincing, relevant and quality data on the effectiveness of phloroglucinol in its indications (period pain, contractions during pregnancy, stomach aches, etc.) in France“Two systematic reviews, which bring together the scientific data obtained on a drug, have demonstrated that there is not sufficient evidence to prove the effectiveness of Spasfon in the case of gynecological or abdominal pain.”For certain indications – including painful periods, a frequent reason for prescription – there is no published clinical trial, period., she warns. In her book she states that “the addition of the indication of menstrual pain to the marketing authorization for Spasfon was the result of particular nonchalance […]. The mention of 10 patients was enough.”
On his blogMartin Wrinchler, publishes a text about this work and confirms the observation: “All serious doctors are aware of the ineffectiveness of this medication. I have mentioned it for twenty years in my books (Everything you wanted to know about periods and Contraception instructions, in particular) and on my website.” At Huffington PostJuliette Ferry-Danini emphasizes that this lack of efficiency is nevertheless “rarely explicitly announced to patients.
Ineffective Spasfon: a manifestation of discrimination against women
During her research, the specialist noticed that for indications that concern women, the scientific criteria used to evaluate Spasfon were even weaker than for so-called general indications. This reveals a form of discrimination, according to her. “But this is not the only manifestation of sexismshe warns. When women express their pain and are given a medication that has no scientific proof of effectiveness to soothe them, this is also discrimination, and their testimony is systematically ignored. My observation is that we are not interested in one of the drugs most used to treat women’s pain in France..”
My book “Pink Pills” comes out Wednesday ✨! It is a philosophical and historical investigation into Spasfon, a medication prescribed by millions in France, mostly to women and on the basis of… not much. pic.twitter.com/zd1shcVgMW
— Dr. Juliette (@FerryDanini) October 19, 2023
Since the publication, many women have shared their testimonies on X (new Twitter name). An Internet user says: “This is the thing that was systematically prescribed to me as soon as I started having my period and which never had any effect on me. I never thought it was probably normal in the end“. At Huffington Post, Juliette Ferry-Danini says she has been angry since she finished writing her book. “What I analyze (…) is the establishment of this medical ‘factory of ignorance’. And the harm caused by this ignorance is enormous.”
