-
France urges flu vaccination after 17,000 deaths last winter
Last year’s season was particularly severe due to ‘low vaccination coverage’, experts say
-
Air traffic controller defends colleagues over near-fatal air crash at Nice
He blames airport lighting issues and claims ‘staff are deeply affected’ over the incident
-
Dordogne runs anti-mosquito operation after chikungunya outbreak
The campaign is ‘preventative’, with affected residents asked to stay indoors and bring in pets and washing
France 'plans stricter rules on sale of painkillers'
Health watchdog unveils to plans to take products such as paracetamol and ibuprofen behind pharmacy counters

Customers will no longer be able to pick up common painkillers and anti-inflammatories - including paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen - from pharmacy shelves, if plans from France's health watchdog come into effect.
The Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament (ANSM) wants to remove medicines such as Doliprane, Efferalgan, and Advil from publicly-accessible areas in pharmacies, and take them behind the counter as soon as January 2020.
"The ANSM would like the drugs to no longer be placed in free access and instead are all placed behind the counter of the pharmacy, which would strengthen its role of advising patients," the health watchdog said in a statement.
Pharmacists routinely warn customers of the risks of self-medicating and maximum recommended doses when selling painkillers and anti-inflammatories. Some already keep such medicines behind their counters - but many pharmacies have them on publicly accessible shelves.
Patient groups and pharmacies are reportedly in favour of the plans, which will now be subject to consultation.
As reported, ANSM announced in July that paracetamol products on sale in France would carry health warnings.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France