-
Record river levels, more evacuations: Latest on flooding in south-west France
Alerts are in place across five departments and residents in some areas are told to stay home
-
French second-home visa issues raised in House of Lords
British people experience an "expensive and bureaucratic process" to continue living in France
-
More than 5,000 French communes use AI to identify poor rubbish sorting
Badly-sorted rubbish can cost millions so communes are turning to high-tech solutions
Cutback on medicine brands
Patients who refuse a generic medicine in place of a branded one from January 2020 will only be reimbursed based on the price of the generic, according to next year’s social security budget bill.

The rule will apply unless there is a medical justification for it to be waived, for example, if the generic contains an ingredient to which the patient is allergic. Generics cost 40% less on average and the government says money saved can be put to better use, such as for buying innovative medicines to treat childhood cancers. Currently, the only penalty for refusing a generic is you must pay upfront for it and thus do not obtain le tiers payant.