He has covered the news in all the daily newspapers in recent weeks: Doliprane would be the favorite medicine of the Frenchaccording to the press release presented by Health Insurance on Thursday, November 14. A number that speaks for itself: 36 million consumers between June 2023 and June 2024which represents 308.2 million boxes sold. An incomparable success which earned him first place on the podium.
This painkiller comes far ahead the second on the podium, the Dafalgananother analgesic based on paracetamol. This second has 71.6 million boxes sold over the same period. Third place goes to Levothyroxa treatment indicated for hypothyroidism. 31.6 million boxes were sold for a refunded amount of 37.4 million euros.
This list shows the appeal of painkillers for the French. Next to 70% of policyholders thus benefited from reimbursement for this category of treatments in 2023. These products are divided into three classes, which are differentiated by their power in terms of action:
- Level 1 analgesics include non-opioid painkillers such as paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They are indicated for mild to moderate pain.
- Level 2 analgesics are weak opioids like codeine and tramadol. They are used for moderate to severe pain if level 1 does not work.
- Level 3 analgesics are strong opioids. They are part of the class of narcotics. They are used in severe pain, after surgery or in the treatment of cancer.
Pour controlling the use of opioids in Francethe legislation will evolve by the end of the year. “As of the end of 2024, beginning of 2025, to combat misuse and trafficking of false prescriptions, medicines containing tramadol or codeine, alone or in combination with other substances (paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc.), will be dispensed only upon presentation of a secure prescription like the regulations in force for narcotic drugs and certain similar narcotic drugs. The prescriber must have written in full the dosagedosage and duration of treatment”, announced Health Insurance in a press release.
41 boxes for 410 euros per year per person
Although in terms of volume it comes first in the ranking, this is not the case for a cost point of view for health insurance. In this category, first place goes to the Eliquisa treatment prescribed for thromboembolic disorders. In 2023, it cost Social Security 755 million euros.
A cost that increases with age. “Each French person consumes, on average, 41 boxes of medicine per year. This represents 410 euros per year per patient“, precise to the media The World Thomas Fatôme, general director of the National Health Insurance Fund. Beyond 80 yearswe move on to 111 boxes per year for a woman and 104 boxes for a man.
To find out the entire list of the most consumed drugs in France in terms of volume, here is a slideshow.
