Generic Substitution And The French Drug Market

The French pharmaceuticals market is an exception in global terms because in other leading drug markets such as the USA and Germany, generics represent around 45% of the total and 35% respectively, while generics represent only 3.3% of the French pharmaceuticals market.

A recently-published study on generics in France has found that among products that make up 87% of the total market, 48% (in value) and 54% (in number) no longer benefit from patent protection. The study also found that among the top 14 therapeutic categories, ranked by turnover, products generating 49% of the turnover could have generic versions, but do not come up against any generic competition.

The study found that financial analysis of the main generic producers shows that generic production and distribution can be profitable, even in the current climate, with price levels that the study has identified at 46% below the price of the main products.