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Practicing pharmacists per 100,000 population, 2021: 92
Community pharmacies per 100,000 population, 2021: 31
Expenditure on retail pharmaceuticals per capita, USD PPP, 2021
– Prescription medicines: $646
– Over-the-counter medicines: $55
– Total: $701
Expenditure on retail pharmaceuticals by type of financing, 2021:
– Government/compulsory schemes: 83%
– Voluntary health insurance schemes: 5%
– Out-of-pocket spending: 12%
– Other: 0%

Source: OECD (2023), Health at a Glance 2023: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris, doi.org/10.1787/7a7afb35-en.

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“Most prescription drugs are covered by SHI [Statutory Health Insurance], although to differing degrees depending on the assessed SMR [Service médical rendu [Medical Benefit]]. SHI reimbursement rates for most covered drugs ranges from 15% to 100% (see section 2.8.4). Over 97% of the French population is covered by a VHI [Voluntary Health Insurance] contract, which generally covers the most important drugs up to 100%. Under the ALD programme, patients with certain diseases are covered 100% for treatments related to the disease, including drugs. Minors aged 15 and older are eligible for 100% coverage for certain contraceptives. Among the prescription drugs that are not covered by SHI are certain contraceptives, drugs for erectile dysfunction and some vaccines and eye drops.”

Source: Chevreul K, Berg Brigham K, Durand-Zaleski I, Hernández-Quevedo C. France: Health system review. Health Systems in Transition, 2015; 17(3): 1–218.

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“Outpatient pharmaceutical care is paid according to the official tariffs defined by CEPS [Comité Economique des Produits de Santé [Economic Committee for Health Products]] (see section 2.8.4). Prices and payments for drugs are made on a package basis, and distribution of partial packages is prohibited even if it exceeds the number of units prescribed. However, under the 2014 Social Security Finance Act, a three-year voluntary project will test delivery of antibiotics on a unitary basis in retail pharmacies.

“Drugs with marketing authorization that are not contained in the list of reimbursable drugs or for special drugs for inpatient care (see section 2.8.4) may be sold over the counter, with patients paying the full price, which is not regulated. Previously, VHI [Voluntary Health Insurance] did not cover drugs not covered by SHI [Statutory Health Insurance].

“Inpatient pharmaceutical care is included in the GHS [Groupes homogènes de séjour [Homogeneous hospital stay groups]] tariffs paid by SHI to the hospitals, with the exception of innovative expensive drugs, which are paid for on top of the GHS tariffs if listed on the special agreed products list.”

Source: Chevreul K, Berg Brigham K, Durand-Zaleski I, Hernández-Quevedo C. France: Health system review. Health Systems in Transition, 2015; 17(3): 1–218.

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World Health Systems Facts is a project of the Real Reporting Foundation. We provide reliable statistics and other data from authoritative sources regarding health systems and policies in the US and sixteen other nations.

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Page last updated January 15, 2025 by Doug McVay, Editor.