Drug shortage in France: Measures to guarantee a reliable supply

The recent wave of drug shortages that have rocked France has highlighted the need to implement effective measures to ensure a reliable supply of essential medicines. Faced with this major challenge, the French Senate established a commission of inquiry on February 1, 2023, to analyze the root causes of these shortages and formulate concrete recommendations to address them.

The commission of inquiry, chaired by Sonia de La Provôté and reported by Laurence Cohen, addressed the issue of drug shortages in depth. After months of in‑depth research and hearings with pharmaceutical industry experts, healthcare professional representatives, and other stakeholders, the commission presented a detailed report including 36 key recommendations.

The measures proposed by the commission of inquiry aim to prevent and anticipate medicine shortages, while ensuring equitable access to and safe distribution of essential medicines. Here is an overview of the main recommended measures:

1. Increased transparency: To better anticipate shortages, it is proposed to make public the list of medicines of major therapeutic interest (MITM) and to entrust the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) with the power to include or exclude specialties from this list.
2. Fluidity of exchanges: In order to guarantee the quality of information and the fluidity of exchanges between the actors in the supply chain, it is suggested that registration in the DP‑Ruptures system be made compulsory for all actors, that interoperability with other information systems be ensured and that alerts intended for doctors be systematized in prescription assistance software.
3. Secure distribution: To ensure equal access to medicines, the commission recommends better supervision of the direct sale of medicines and a tightening of the conditions for obtaining authorization to open a wholesaler‑distributor establishment, in order to guarantee compliance with public service obligations.
4. Rapid restoration of medicine availability: In the event of a shortage, it is essential to quickly restore supply. Recommendations include requiring manufacturers of essential medicines to identify alternative production capacity in the event of a crisis, the rapid adoption of the decree on special hospital preparations, and the creation of a new status for special officinal preparations for situations of supply tension or disruption.

Medicine shortages pose a major challenge to the French healthcare system, requiring rapid and concerted action. The recommendations made by the commission of inquiry provide a solid framework for preventing and managing future medicine shortages. It is now essential to implement these measures to ensure a reliable supply of essential medicines, thereby ensuring the health and well‑being of the French population. The next step will be to translate these recommendations into concrete actions, involving all relevant stakeholders, from regulatory and public health authorities to pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare professionals, to find a lasting solution to this pressing problem.