Cider Sante To Import Medco Style For France

Cider Sante, the French pharmaceutical services company, has signed an accord with Medco, the US health spending management group acquired by Merck & Co, to introduce a system of computer-assisted drug prescribing into France.

Despite the French addiction to modern computer technology, it remains largely unknown to French doctors. Cider has negotiated a long-term exclusive license from Medco and intends to create a new subsidiary to run the operation. Designated Coordination Medicale et Pharmaceutique (CMP), its equity capital will be open to doctors' organizations such as MG France. Medco may also acquire a stake in CMP at a later stage.

The immediate task of the new group will be to set up a network of general practitioners in a number of test regions. Currently, scarcely one doctor in 10 has a computer, and those who have use them for secretarial and accounting purposes only. Cider says it hopes to connect 20,000-30,000 doctors within four years.