Drugs controversy in France

According to press reports, half of all medicines being prescribed by doctors in France are either useless or potentially dangerous for patients.

A report in the Guardian newspaper says that two medical specialists have suggested removing 'superfluous and hazardous' drugs from the list paid for by the French health service could save up to €10 billion (£8 billion) and 20,000 deaths a year.

Professor Philippe Even, director of the Necker Institute, and Bernard Debré, a doctor and member of parliament, have published a book called The Guide to the 4,000 Useful, Useless or Dangerous Medicines.

Among the drugs on the list they would like to see scrapped are statins, and many prescribed for cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, contraception and nicotine addiction.

The book has attracted a great deal of criticism from health experts in France.

For the Guardian report click here.

Archived October 10, 2012