"No drug support cuts" for France

The newly-appointed French Health Minister, Roselyne Bachelot, has stated there will be no action to remove drugs from reimbursement support, despite a warning from the government's health spending watchdog, the CdA, on the growth in such expenditure.

Ms Bachelot, speaking shortly ahead of an expected call by the CdA for immediate cutbacks, said she did not envisage any de-reimbursement of drug products. Reliance would be placed on normal spending control measures, including the control of prescriptions, the development of generic copies and respect for the rules on reimbursement for long-term illnesses such as cancer and diabetes. These, she added, were measures that had not been sufficiently put into effect.

Promised action from new President will not start before January 2008