As bronchiolitis takes hold in France, pediatricians are alarmed by the reimbursement deemed insufficient for Beyfortus, the main treatment for the disease.
The syndromic indicators linked to bronchiolitis remain for the moment lower than those observed in the previous three years, but the dynamic is increasing according to the latest bulletin from Public Health France, dated November 20. In this situation, the French Pediatric Society is concerned about the limited reimbursement of Beyfortus, a treatment intended to immunize babies against the main virus causing the disease.
While it was covered at 100% last year, this medication is now only reimbursed at 30%. This decision was taken after an assessment by the High Health Authority (HAS), according to which the medical benefit provided by Beyfortus is “moderate”.
A position that Christèle Gras-Le Guen, head of the pediatrics department at Nantes University Hospital and spokesperson for the French Pediatric Society, says she does not understand since the effectiveness of the drug is, according to her, “demonstrated”.
“Last year’s experience was extremely spectacular, with product effectiveness of around 80% in preventing hospitalizations in intensive care, visits to the emergency room, hospitalizations in general, even consultations in liberal,” she declared to France Inter, this Tuesday, November 26.
She mentions a balance to pay “of the order of 300 euros” for families who do not have complementary health insurance and is even worried about others since “several mutual insurance companies do not reimburse or partially reimburse”. The fear of pediatricians is to see the most modest parents give up buying Beyfortus due to lack of means.
Two metropolitan regions in epidemic
Another treatment exists, Abrysvo from Pfizer, but it must be used preventively, by administering it directly to the pregnant woman. As part of pregnancy care, it is fully reimbursed.
In its bulletin of November 20, Public Health France indicates that two French regions are already in an epidemic phase for bronchiolitis, namely Ile-de-France and Hauts-de-France. Overseas, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guyana are also affected.
Seven other regions are in pre-epidemic: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Brittany, Centre-Val de Loire, Grand Est, Normandy, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.
