practical
Healthcare changes in France you may have missed in September 2026
Includes Covid-19 vaccinations and drug expiry dates
We review healthcare updates (and news items) which have been made in the past month that may affect residents of France.
Franchise médicale cap rises
The maximum amount patients can pay each year through two types of medical levies rises from October 1, with future increases linked to inflation.
The annual caps for franchises médicales and the participation forfaitaire of €2 will each rise from €50 to €70, meaning patients could pay up to a combined €140 a year.
It follows the abandonment of earlier plans to double each cap to €100. It is part of government efforts to reduce social security spending ahead of discussions over the 2027 budget.
Faulty condoms
More than 40,000 condoms, mainly sold online, are subject to recall notices after being identified as non-compliant. There is a possible risk of microbial contamination.
Consumers should stop using them and take pregnancy and STD tests. Three products were imported from Japan and sold on Amazon by GJG Audio. Another, Friday Bae Safe, was sold via various retailers from November 2023-May 2026.
Check the CE marking, identity and reliability of the seller, condition of packaging, and expiry date if buying condoms online. Contact retailers or manufacturers about refunds.
Longer shelf life for medicines
Some 73 medicines – including Dafalgan and Efferalgan – are being tested for extended shelf life.
The Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament, the medicines safety agency, announced in August that 14 laboratories will participate in a five-year pilot scheme called Longue vie aux médicaments (Long life to medicines).
Shelf life could double to four years-plus for some medicines. Neither the composition nor the packaging will change.
The scheme aims to cut waste, ease shortages and reduce the environmental impact of the pharmaceutical industry, which is responsible for more than 8% of France’s greenhouse gas emissions. Storage conditions must continue to be respected.
Mosquito season continues until November
Mosquito season could continue until November 30, according to Santé publique France.
In some cases, mosquitoes might even survive the winter. The likelihood increases if you have indoor damp spaces with stagnant water.
Check your property for stagnant water through autumn and winter to reduce breeding sites the following year.
An increased mosquito presence is typically recorded in spring, before ‘peak season’ in July and August. From then, populations dwindle due to cooler nighttime temperatures. Below 10C, activity generally ceases.
Covid-19 vaccinations
The 2026 Covid vaccine rollout will take place in mid-October. It will work in tandem with the seasonal flu vaccine drive, as in previous years.
The same conditions for vaccination and reimbursement are expected as for previous campaigns.
Covid infections have been increasing in September.
In the week of September 14-20, emergency-department visits for suspected Covid rose by 16% among children and 67% among adults, although levels remained below those seen in previous years.
