France's HAS to become more like UK's NICE

France's health spending watchdog, the HAS, has been charged with a comprehensive review of the basis for the reimbursement of existing drugs. The move is based on the enlargement of the scope of the government agency. Established in 2004 to help monitor and control health care spending, including the drugs bill, its role was nonetheless initially defined in scientific rather than economic terms. The HAS has issued medical guidelines to establish a sound basis for justifying especially the reimbursement of treatment for long-term chronic illness.

A more "medico-economic" approach wanted

The new government of President Nicolas Sarkozy has expressed concerns that the HAS' recommendations lack properly-defined priorities. As a result, the agency's role has now been redefined. Under the new arrangements, the HAS' recommendation must be "medico-economic" and will be focused on health care strategies and "the most efficient" prescribing and reimbursement of medicines.