French storm over reimbursement reviews:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The reimbursement review of pharmaceutical products in France is causing considerable controversy. This will worry medical device manufacturers as a similar review is being proposed for medical devices. A transparency commission, the SMR, set up to review reimbursement levels for pharmaceuticals according to the medical usefulness of the product, has recommended that reimbursement levels are not justifiable for some 150 products. Companies have appealed, but during the 56 hearings attended by the president of the pharmacists' professional association, not one company managed to persuade the commission of its case.