E-drug: France to promote sales of generic drugs (cont'd)
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It's even worse than what has been commented upon by Hilbrand
and Kirsten, because France's drug prices are no longer among the
lowest in Europe. The prices of new drugs are in the average ranges
of those in European countries. "Fortunately", French patients don't
take all the drugs they purchase: this is one of the reasons why
many French NGOs are specialized in sending unused returned
drugs to lesser developed countries, something which is strongly
discouraged in the Interagency Guidelines on Drug Donations).
Pierre Chirac
Editor
Revue Prescrire
e-mail: pierchir@club-internet.fr
[I would be very interested in hearing more on WHY drug use
practices are less appropriate in France than in neighbouring
countries. After all, we're one Europe now. How come there is so
much more willingness to prescribe drugs in France than in some
other European countries (according to comments of a french
pharmacist colleague who lived a while in Holland)? Anything else
known than personal opinions, ad-hoc observations, or blaming
'wrong attitudes'? HH]
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