1993 A YEAR OF CHANGES FOR SNIP

In 1993 French turnover of pharmaceuticals for human use increased 8.7%. Contrary to previous years, sales of pharmaceuticals to hospitals advanced at a slower rate, by 8.4%, than sales to wholesalers and pharmacists, which increased by 8.8%.

Sales growth in 1993 was strong compared to 1992, when sales advanced 6.1%. The French association for the pharmaceutical industry, SNIP, says in its annual report that this accelerated growth was due to the rate of infection in France being slightly above the seasonal norm. Epidemic peaks were registered in March and December last year.

The number of reimbursements made for medicines grew 7.5% in France last year, taking into account the reductions in the rates of reimbursement, ie from 70% to 65% and 40% to 35%, introduced in June 1993 through the government's Veil Plan. SNIP said that without these reductions, which only affected the pharmaceutical industry indirectly, growth in the number of reimbursements would have been slightly over 9%.