Medication restraint: Leem's new campaign

Faced with the ever-increasing consumption of medicines in France, Leem (Les Entreprises du Médicament) is launching a "sober medicine" campaign to encourage more responsible use of treatments. This ambitious program aims to optimize the use of medicines, reduce inappropriate prescriptions and thus lighten the burden on the healthcare system while protecting the environment.

Objectives and challenges

Leem's program for sober drug use is part of a three-year framework, targeting polymedication in the elderly in particular. According to Thierry Hulot, President of Leem, the aim is to promote the "proper use of medicines", which implies preventing unnecessary prescriptions and ensuring that consumption is strictly aligned with patients' real needs(Leem)(Leem).

Reducing Misuse

Every year in France, misuse of medicines is responsible for numerous hospital admissions and avoidable deaths. Leem believes that promoting sobriety in the use of medicines will help reduce these incidences, by encouraging doctors and patients to use treatments more judiciously(Egora).

Actions Deployed

For 2024, the program will focus on polymedication among seniors, a critical issue given that 50% of insured people aged 65 and over take more than five different drugs, and 14% take more than ten. Subsequent themes will address antibiotic resistance and drug wastage(Egora).

Awareness campaigns

Leem is deploying several specific actions:

1. Raising physicians' awareness: A series of six waves of scientific newsletters (VidalNews), the mobilization of medical sales calls, and digital training materials for general practitioners are being rolled out. In addition, a system to help elderly patients taking more than five drugs to revise their prescriptions has been introduced in prescription assistance software(Leem).
2. Training and support: Online training modules, including webcasts, podcasts and gamified media, are available to support GPs in managing polymedication(Leem).
3. Campaign for the general public: An awareness-raising campaign under the slogan "Réduireisons le volume - de médicaments c'est médicamieux" aims to inform the general public of the risks of over-consumption of medicines and to encourage a more responsible attitude(Egora).

Economic and environmental impact

The program is also designed to generate significant savings for the French healthcare system, with an estimated 300 million euros in annual savings. In addition to these financial benefits, reducing drug consumption contributes to the environmental effort by reducing pharmaceutical waste(Leem)(Egora).

Impact on Laboratories

Leem's campaign to reduce drug consumption will have a significant impact on the business of pharmaceutical companies. By encouraging a more targeted and reasoned use of medicines, laboratories will have to adapt their production and distribution strategies to meet potentially reduced demand. However, this initiative also opens up opportunities for innovation and the development of new, more targeted and personalized medicines.

Laboratories will be encouraged to invest more in the research and development of optimized treatments, focusing on quality and efficacy rather than sales volumes. This evolution could also encourage the emergence of new business models based on "drug service", where laboratories play an active role in monitoring and accompanying patients to ensure appropriate use of treatments(Egora)(Leem).

In addition, reducing inappropriate prescriptions and drug wastage could boost the confidence of patients and healthcare professionals in pharmaceutical products, thereby improving the industry's image. Savings made by the healthcare system through more efficient use of medicines could also be reinvested in research and innovation projects, creating a virtuous circle for the pharmaceutical industry(Leem)(Egora).

So, while the campaign for sobriety presents challenges for laboratories in terms of adjusting production and sales, it also offers significant opportunities for innovation, improved quality of care and the sustainable development of the pharmaceutical sector.

Leem's "sobriété médicamenteuse" campaign marks a milestone in the promotion of more rational use of medicines in France. By combining educational actions, raising awareness among healthcare professionals and the general public, and technological innovations, this initiative aims to improve the quality of care while supporting the sustainability of the healthcare system and the environment.

To find out more about Leem's campaign and actions, please consult their official website and recent publications on the subject.

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