Anti-obesity drugs Wegovy and Mounjaro reimbursed in France from Monday

France is officially reimbursing two anti-obesity drugs, Wegovy and Mounjaro, from today, June 15, making it the first EU country to cover the cost of these medications.

Eligible patients can benefit from a 65% reimbursement of the cost of treatment by the national health insurance system. However, individual cases, supplementary health cover, and exemptions could raise the coverage to 100%. 

Eligibility will be subject to strict criteria. Patients must generally suffer from severe or complicated obesity, defined as a BMI of 35 or above with associated comorbidities, or a BMI of 40 or higher.

Initial prescriptions are also restricted to specialist doctors working in approved obesity treatment structures, such as hospital-based centres and specialist endocrinology, diabetology and nutrition units. General practitioners may continue treatment once it has been initiated.

Previously, patients were paying between approximately €250 and €450 per month out of their own pocket.

The government estimates that up to one million people could be eligible, although the Ministry of Health expects the actual number to be lower in practice, and believes the annual cost to the state will be around €100 million once prescriptions scale up. 

Under the new pricing structure, Wegovy will cost around €146.91 per month at lower doses, rising to €195.10 for higher strengths. Mounjaro will be priced between roughly €6 and €14 per day, depending on dosage.

The drugs are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists and they help patients lose weight by regulating appetite and blood sugar levels. 

Pharmacists and doctors caution that the rollout may be gradual, with initial access limited to specialist centres and many existing users still paying privately in the short term.

Administrative verification of eligible prescribers and prescriptions also remains a key challenge at the start of the scheme, a pharmacy representative noted to Le Monde.