France’s medicine database allows you to check availability and prices
Official website gives patients easy access to information on reimbursement and usage
Users can search for a medicine by its name, by its active substance or by the condition it is used to treat.
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France’s official online database, the Base de données publique des médicaments (Public Database of Medicines), provides free access to up-to-date information on the price, availability and reimbursement rules for different medicines in the country.
The site provides information on medicines currently marketed in France, as well as medicines that have been marketed in France at any time during the past three years.
This helps patients understand what they may have to pay and whether a medicine is covered by Assurance Maladie (France’s national health insurance system) before going to the pharmacy.
Users can search for a medicine on the database either by putting in its name, its active substance or the condition it is used to treat.
Once the correct medicine has been selected, the ‘Presentations’ section shows the different versions available, such as pack sizes or pharmaceutical forms (pills, drops, liquids etc)
This is important because prices can vary for the same medicine depending on the form it takes.
For medicines with regulated prices, the database can show:
For some medicines that are not reimbursed, the database may display ‘free price’ (prix libre), which means there is no nationally fixed price and the amount charged may differ between pharmacies.
The database also helps patients understand how much of the cost may be covered by Assurance Maladie and, where available, identify alternatives containing the same active ingredient.
It also provides access to official medicine documents, including the electronic leaflet (e-notice), where users can check important information such as instructions, precautions and possible side effects.
After finding the relevant information in the Public Database of Medicines, another online service allows users to search for pharmacies by department, town and commune.
Note that this second website, DemarchesAdministratives.fr, is a private online directory and not an official French government site.
