Demonstrations against French Rx tax

A series of public demonstrations across France have been held to protest against the imposition of the franchise on drugs. The activities were coordinated by 70 advocacy groups, several political parties and labor unions. One high-visibility tactic consisted in the stacking of thousands of medicine packages in front of the Ministry of Health in Paris and outside government buildings throughout the country.

The French television station TF1 reported that the protesters called for "no taxes on our lives." Since January 1 this year, welfare recipients of the government's health insurance scheme must pay 0.50 euros ($0.99) per drug packet and for paramedical intervention. Other charges of one or two euros each have also been introduced, for example, for general practitioner visits, since 2004. A limit of 50 euros per year may be levied from each patient, with the funds generated being used to finance R&D in cancer and Alzheimer's disease treatments, according to the government.