Generics' market share breakthrough in France

France's national sickness insurance fund (Caisse nationale d'assurance maladie - CNAM) has announced that the government's target of 70% prescription drug market share by generics (in treatment areas where both branded and off-patent versions exist) by the end of this year "is on course for achievement." The CNAM released figures showing that, by October, 67.8% of prescribed drugs in France were generics in the relevant product categories.

Six of France's 26 administrative regions have already surpassed the government's target, with the Pays-de-la-Loire region achieving 77.1% of generic prescribing. The two lowest-ranked regions are Corsica (52.9%) and Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur (61.7%). The Ile-de-France region, which includes Paris, has dramatically increased its generic prescribing from 58.2% to 65.2% during October. Four of the region's departements introduced new payment procedures for doctors, which penalized those who refuse to prescribe generic drugs.