2006-09 CEPS/LEEM framework signed

The French government's health care products economic committee (CEPS) and the country's drugmakers' association (LEEM) have signed a technical endorsement of the framework agreement that was negotiated in October last year. As a result of the broad range of areas where agreement was reached, the LEEM issued a statement describing the process as "a positive step forwards."

For their part, Xavier Bertrand and Francois Loos, France's Health and Industry Ministers, respectively, have promised greater openness and transparency in their dealings with drugmakers over health policy. Specifically, the government has assured the drug industry that it will provide more advanced warnings over plans to raise taxes on drug sales. Mr Bertrand, in an interview, admitted that he recognized the problem for firms of needing stability in order to plan ahead for several years at a time. He also promised a reduction in bureaucratic delays over vaccine and new drug marketing applications.

Although the two government Ministers failed to announce any news of additional subsidies for pharmaceutical R&D, they noted that the government had pumped 400.0 million euros ($520.56 million) into all areas of health care R&D last year. The government's objective is to stimulate pharmaceutical R&D indirectly by raising investment subsidies 10% over the next three years. For 2003, official figures show that drug industry R&D in France reached 4.0 billion euros, a disappointing figure by international standards, according to the French government.