FRENCH HEALTH EXPENDITURE CONTINUES TO RISE, ALTHOUGH ANTIBIOTIC USE FALLS

According to French health fund agency CNAM, health expenditure in the first nine months of the year rose 4.3%, compared to the same period last year, as government cost-containment measures failed to have the desired effect.

However, CNAM did point out that spending on general practice care was up a moderate 2.2%. The French government has been keen to reform the general practice system in the country, in which French patients are allowed to visit as many doctors as they wish for consultations. New laws have aimed to curb unnecessary visits, which will have the knock-on effect of reducing high prescription volumes.

France's antibiotic use is also down 12.8%, compared to levels three years ago, an indicator that the government is on track to achieve its stated goal of reducing use 25% by 2008. The fall in consumption has reportedly saved the health sector around EUR375mn (US$455.78mn) since 2002.

France has a historic problem of over-prescribing antibiotics. In July 2005, French drug safety regulator AFSSAPS ordered the withdrawal of 12 leading antibiotics, widely used to treat throat infections, to help address the situation. France's antibiotics market is worth some US$2.6bn a year.