Record fines for 11 pharmaceutical laboratories

The drugs concerned, classified as “of major therapeutic interest”, are essential for serious pathologies.

Medicines: Reports of stock shortages have never been so numerous

Drug shortages are a growing problem in France: 5,000 reports of stock shortages were recorded in 2023, compared to only 40 in 2008. Faced with this crisis, laboratories are required to maintain safety stocks, particularly for drugs of major therapeutic interest (MITM), the unavailability of which can endanger patients’ lives. However, checks by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) revealed that 11 laboratories, including Biogaran, Sandoz and Viatris, did not comply with these obligations, particularly for widely used generic drugs, such as antihypertensives and certain anticancer drugs. In total, 8 million euros in fines were imposed on the 11 laboratories concerned.

This sanction aims to strengthen transparency in inventory management and to remind people of the importance of continuous supply. Proof that the subject is hot, while in 2022, the sanctions for non-compliance with inventory obligations had only reached 500,000 euros, the 2023 fine, which amounts to 8 million euros, testifies to the seriousness of the situation.

Drug shortages: patient associations demand “ name and shame » for the faulty laboratories

Patient associations, such as France Assos Santé, welcomed the announcement of these fines with satisfaction. France Assos Santé recalls that, according to its 2024 barometer of the rights of sick people, 44% of respondents across France say they have been confronted with a drug shortage at least once. « Let us recall that laboratories that benefit from a market guaranteed by national solidarity have an obligation to continuously supply the French market. We are far from that! “, we can read in his press release.

France Assos Santé also calls on MPs to take the opportunity of the discussion of the next Social Security financing law to include in the law the principle of ” name and shame ” In other words, the publication without time limit of the sanctions imposed, hoping that this measure will make the laboratories responsible.

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