French drug spending drops again

Figures from the French national sickness insurance funds (CNAM) indicate that out-patient health spending rose only 0.1% in February and that the rise in reimbursement expenditure in the previous 12-month period was 3.8% versus 4.3% for the 12 months to January 2007.

The CNAM confirmed the spending slowdown, noting that for drugs it actually dropped in the 12 months to February by 3.6% after falling 4.3%, according to January results (Marketletter March 3). The new patient charge system, which involves a supplementary tax on individual drug packages, is part of the explanation given for the downturn in pharmaceutical spending (Marketletters passim). However, the CNAM expressed its uncertainty as to whether the dampening effect of the reform will last.