Chronic disease therapy support reform in France

France's National assembly is debating a draft law that would provide a legal framework for drug programs where strict patient compliance is necessary for a successful medical outcome. The proposals are a transposition of a 2004 European Union drug directive into national legislation, however, a number of clauses have aroused controversy.

Among these are regulations to ensure that patients follow prescribed treatments for chronic diseases, such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS and hypertension. As new drugs reach the market, pressure is mounting from the drug industry for additional programs of this type. To date, five compliance or therapeutic support programs have been authorized by the French Health Products Safety Agency (Afssaps). These are also backed by health care support bodies that either send nurses to patients' homes, call or send SMS text messages to remind patients to take their remedies.

Several physicians' organizations, on the other hand, have taken an opposite view, arguing that it is their responsibility to control the follow-up process and oppose the direct contact between drugmakers and patients that the new system would effectively facilitate.