Emmanuel Macron affirmed Monday that the government had “the instruments to guarantee that France is protected” in the face of the anticipated arrival of a new American shareholder in an entity of the Sanofi group marketing Doliprane, relaunching the debate on the risks for the country’s supply of medicines.
“We fought so that Doliprane was reproduced in France and that we reproduce molecules and drugs which are essential,” declared the Head of State on the sidelines of a trip to the Paris Motor Show in Paris. “And then there is capital ownership. And there, the government has the instruments to guarantee that France is protected,” he assured.
This declaration comes as union delegates demanded on Monday the maintenance of Opella, which produces Doliprane, within the fold of its parent company Sanofi, during the visit of two ministers to the production site of this drug in Lisieux (Calvados).
Since the French pharmaceutical group announced at the end of last week that it had chosen the American investment fund CD&R to cede control of Opella, the unions and a large part of the political class have been worried about the consequences of such a move. potential sale in terms of health sovereignty.
“For us, it’s very simple in fact, we ask that Opella remains under the control of Sanofi,” indicated the CFDT coordinator within Sanofi.
“The commitments that we are asking for will not only be extremely precise, but they will be accompanied by guarantees, they will be accompanied by sanctions,” previously declared visiting Minister of the Economy Antoine Armand, with his counterpart in Industry, in the Lisieux factory (Calvados) where the famous medicine is produced. The minister also mentioned “the possibility of public shareholding and participation in the governance” of Opella as part of a possible “formalized agreement”.
“We have started discussions with Sanofi and with Opella” regarding “the conditions which would be essential and a formalized agreement which must take place and will take place if the transfer project arrives on the table”, specified the minister.
The best-selling drug in France
The Minister of the Economy Antoine Armand and his Industry counterpart Marc Ferracci arrived around 10 a.m. at the Lisieux site, which produces almost all of Doliprane, the country’s best-selling drug.
The mayor of Lisieux and several parliamentarians were also present. Around thirty people, including trade unionists, gathered in front of the gates of the factory which employs 250 people. It was “almost at a standstill,” said Humberto de Sousa.
“We are the little yellow box that makes public opinion, the media and our leaders react,” in reference to the Doliprane box, says Johann Nicolas, CGT Lisieux union delegate, and “our first request is “Let’s stay Sanofi.”
The Minister of the Economy will not refrain from blocking the sale of the Sanofi subsidiary producing Doliprane to the American investment fund CD&R if it is not guaranteed that the drug continues to be produced in France. “My commitment is that Doliprane continues to be produced in France, by employees in France” and “we will have to ask for extremely strong guarantees,” he declared on BFMTV on Sunday.
