Faced with the tensions in the supply of medicines and medical devices that our country has been facing for several weeks, Mr. François Braun, Minister of Health and Prevention, and Mr. Roland Lescure, Minister Delegate in charge of Industry, held to convene a steering committee on Thursday, February 2, 2023 at the Ministry of Health and Prevention to take stock of the situation and lay the first milestones for a new strategy for the prevention and management of shortages.
While the intensity of the triple epidemic of Covid-19, bronchiolitis and influenza has diminished in recent weeks in our country, supply tensions remain high in France, as more generally on a planetary scale. Faced with this complex international context and the emergence of new threats, the mobilization of the Government is total to preserve the access of the French to medicines throughout the territory. At the height of the crisis, the actions decided by the Government, such as stock quotas, the banning of exports by wholesalers, magistral preparations by pharmacists or even regular information to prescribers, made it possible to limit as much as possible tensions encountered on certain products.
These measures remain in effect until the situation improves in a lasting way. and the ministers will continue in the days and weeks to come to discuss with manufacturers, in close collaboration with the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM), in particular, to maintain a high level of monitoring and responsiveness.
The services of the two ministries have also worked to finding new quick fixes for the French to deal with amoxicillin tension. In close collaboration with manufacturers in the sector, it is thus planned to make available within two weeks one million vials of amoxicillin (representing one month of additional national consumption) to continue to ease tensions.
Because we need as of now preparing for the followingmath, this first committeewhich brought together the key players in the health sector (representatives of patients, health professionals and manufacturers), was also responsible for identifying concrete solutions to guarantee the continued availability of the necessary medicines To the population. Ministers reaffirmed the importance of ensuring the safety and quality of care for patients, during and outside of the crisis.
The steering committee today announced the launch of a two-month co-construction phase with all the stakeholders around new priorities set by the ministers. Their proposals will serve to build a new multi-year roadmap to combat shortages of health products which will be presented no later than June 2023. The previous 2019-2022 roadmap marked major progress (shortage management plan for manufacturers, obligation to hold minimum stocks in particular) but we now need go further to build a plan more suited to crisis situations.
François Braun and Roland Lescure thus announced the management of three major projectswhich are intended to strengthen our country’s anticipation capacities at the same time as equipping us with new practices to deal with any crises that may arise:
- By the end of May, the list of so-called “critical” medicines because they are strategic for the health of our fellow citizens will be drawn up – on the basis of the recommendations of the scientific authorities. This is a essential prerequisite that will guide the strategy led by the Government. To this list will be attached an analysis of the risks in terms of supply, and the necessary corrective solutions.
Several areas for improvement will be established, whether for example greater transparency on the availability of health products, from production to distribution in pharmacies, improved information of the French on the situation, including territorialised, of a reinforcement of the information of the patients directly concerned. These improvements will go hand in hand with a reinforcement of the sovereignty strategy supported through “France 2030” investments, in line with the desire of the President of the Republic to strengthen our autonomy and our industrial sovereignty by relocating to France the production of certain strategic drugs as well as their active ingredients. As well, specific work will be carried out on the issues associated with the proper use of drugs, while France has unprecedented drug consumption levels compared to its European partners. To strengthen these guidelines, France will take its full part in the exchanges conducted at European level to better structure the collaborative response to supply issues.
- Within 3 months, the ANSM in conjunction with the DGS will also be responsible for establishing a plan to prepare for winter epidemics (stock security, improved availability of data, accountability of all healthcare players and patients, etc.) to anticipate possible tensions and strengthen our ability to cope with seasonal peaks in drug consumption.
- Within 3 months, a “White Drug Plan” that can be activated in the event of an exceptional situation, requiring strong measures to be taken to secure the care of our fellow citizens, will be prepared.. Three years following the start of a global health crisis of unprecedented magnitude, and while geopolitical tensions are marking a new situation, this “White Plan” dedicated to health products appears more essential than ever.
At last, ministers announced a moratorium on strategic generic price cuts industrially and health-wise. They also indicated their desire to implement targeted price increases on certain strategic generics produced in Europe. These price increases will be made in return for commitments by manufacturers to secure supply to the French market.
Contacts presse
Office of Mr. François Braun, Minister of Health and Prevention
sec.presse.cabsante@sante.gouv.fr – 01 40 56 60 60
Office of Mr. Roland Lescure, Minister Delegate, in charge of Industry
presse@industrie.gouv.fr – 01 53 18 43 18
