top cx logo
cx logo
Explorearrow down
search icon
Explore
arrow down

Patients in France may get end-of-life drug at home

A powerful sedative used in palliative end-of-life care is to be available on prescription in all pharmacies in France within four months.

Until now, the sedative Midazolam has only been available for use in hospitals. Under the new rules, GPs will be able to prescribe it through normal pharmacies, to allow patients to receive end-of-life care at home, with less pain, instead of being admitted to hospital.

The health ministry has said that the drug will only be prescribed under strict conditions, and only with a prescription from a mobile GP team or a hospital service. The prescription will also require a second opinion from another doctor.

Some GPs have said this latter rule will put unnecessarily-complex barriers in place.

Dr Jean-Paul Hamon, president of doctors' union La Fédération des Médecins de France told public news service FranceInfo: "The doctor, the nurse, the patient, and the patient's family...that is who is concerned, no-one else. They shouldn't impose someone else who is 'supposed to know more' et cetera, and add complexity to a situation that is [already] particularly heavy and distressing to take care of."

But other GPs have said this extra protection is needed.

Dr Pierre Robin, GP in Marseille, said: "It's not easy. You can get it wrong. You might have demands that do not correspond to the real situation."

Pharmacists have welcomed the move.

Dr Gilles Bonnefond, president of pharmacist union l’Union des Syndicats de Pharmaciens d'Officine, said: “We have a medicine that is suitable, with fewer side-effects [and that is] easier to use, under very specific conditions. We are going to be helping many town pharmacy teams, and patients.”

The decision to change the rules comes just two months after a GP in Normandy was investigated for giving Midazolam to five patients without the correct authorisation. He has since been struck off.

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

Resident or second-home owner in France?
Benefit from our daily digest of headlines and how-to's to help you make the most of life in France
By joining the newsletter, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
See more popular articles
The Connexion Help Guides
featured helpguide
Income Tax in France 2023 (for 2022 income)*
Featured Help Guide
- Primarily aimed at Britons, covers pensions, rent, ISAs, shares, savings and interest - but also contains significant general information pertinent to readers of other nationalities - Overview of online declarations + step-by-step guide to the French printed forms - Includes updates given automatically after this year's site opened
Get news, views and information from France