Pharmaceutical prices, 2000-2010

INSEE tracks two types of consumer prices for pharmaceutical drugs: the “gross” price, which is the market price excluding refunds by basic medical insurance (sécurité sociale), and the “net” price, which is the residual portion paid by the consumer after the total or partial coverage by basic medical insurance (excluding supplementary refunds by mutual insurance companies). Between 2000 and 2010, the “gross” price of total reimbursable and non-reimbursable drugs fell by an average 1.8% per year, versus an average 0.6% rise in their “net” price. These opposing trends are due to successive decisions to reduce or eliminate reimbursements of selected drugs during the period, as well as to the steep rise in prices of non-refundable (over-the-counter) drugs.