english.prescrire.org > Annual Prescrire Awards > The Prescrire Awards for 2011 > The 2011 Prescrire Awards: granted in total independence by Prescrire's Editorial Staff > Prescrire's review of new drugs and new indications in 2011 > Questioning French drug policy: a few timid steps taken in 2011

The Prescrire Awards for 2011

The 2011 Prescrire Awards: granted in total independence by Prescrire's Editorial Staff

Prescrire's review of new drugs and new indications in 2011
Questioning French drug policy: a few timid steps taken in 2011

In 2011, the rationale for French drug policy was challenged by the Mediator° disaster (Prescrire Int n° 121).

In March 2011, Prescrire published 57 proposals on its website (> Prescrire’s proposals), based on evidence accumulated over the years, aimed at preventing similar disasters in future and at refocusing national drug policy on public health and patients’ real needs (Prescrire Int n° 116, 121 and 123).

A new law on human medicines was passed in France on 19 December 2011.

Some of its measures will serve patients’ interests:

  • better management of conflicts of interest within government agencies;
  • more transparent reporting of committee meetings;
  • stricter regulation of off-label prescription;
  • stricter regulation of medical devices.

However, several important measures were left out:

  • development of clinical research more independent of drug companies;
  • public access to pharmacovigilance databases, as in countries such as Canada, the United States, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (Rev Prescrire n° 337 - Prescrire Int 126);
  • requirement to compare new drugs with a standard treatment before marketing authorisation or reimbursement status can be granted;
  • measures to promote more convenient treatment and safer packaging (learn more);
  • Better initial and continuing education of healthcare professionals in drug therapy.

©Prescrire April 2011

"New drugs and new indications in 2011. France is better focused on patients' interests after the Mediator° scandal, but stagnation elsewhere" Prescrire Int 2012; 21 (126): 106-110. (pdf, free)