Pharmacy

Strepsils, Olbas Oil, TCP: Find French equivalents to common remedies

Moving to France means navigating pharmacies and hunting down alternatives to treat everyday ailments

France to launch plan to tackle winter medicine shortages

We look at why shortages have been rising over the past few years and what is being done

Prescription rules change for French pharmacies and antibiotics

Patients will still need to take a test for the permitted conditions where a prescription in no longer required

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‘2,000 French pharmacies lost in 10 years’: why May 30 strike is huge

Up to 95% of pharmacies are closed today. We explain how to find an emergency pharmacy

Pharmacists set to stage national strike in France

‘More than one pharmacy has closed every day since the start of the year in our country’, pharmacists’ union warns

Call for pharmacists to strike over medicine shortages in France

Total shutdown of pharmacies at end of May expected. 36 pharmacies closed in January 2024 for economic reasons

Wrong medication found in herbal sleeping pills box in France

Thousands of boxes of the over-the-counter remedy have been recalled

Concern over antibiotic resistance in France sparks media campaign

Antibiotic use has risen again in France where family doctors prescribe them twice as much as they do in the UK or Germany

‘Medicines to avoid in 2024’ list published by French medical review

The 105 drugs are considered to be ‘more dangerous than useful’ but the majority are still widely available and used

How can I see a doctor at my local French pharmacy?

Doctors are not present on-site but online appointments can be made

Shortages of 4,000 medicines in France; what risk for this winter?

Drugs affected include antibiotics and some painkillers

Tax, dentist fees, TV sport, letters: Ten practical updates for France

We look at key announcements you may have missed

Some antibiotics may be sold pill by pill due to shortages in France

Plans would see medicine given daily instead of in boxes. The pharmacists’ union says it will be ‘real hassle’ and make record-keeping difficult

French pharmacies can prescribe and give vaccines: we explain which

They can help with administering both annual and booster jabs

Two-thirds of French pharmacies understaffed

Despite increasing the number of university places to study pharmacy, there is still a shortfall of 15,000 workers

Jail time for French health workers who gave fake Covid test results

The two pharmacists and one doctor were sentenced to between eight and 18 months in prison for their role in issuing 497 fake test results in 2020

How long are medicine prescriptions valid in France?

We also look at how repeat prescriptions work and terms you may across in relation to prescriptions given by French doctors

Medicine shortage: antibiotic stocks in France may be low until spring

Supply problems with amoxicillin and paracetamol have highlighted reliance on chemicals from China and India

Reducing waste: French app lists unsold cosmetics at up to 50% off

Parapharmacy items with short sell-by dates can also be found, this comes as study reveals four tonnes of products are thrown away each day

Pharmacies in France can now administer 14 more vaccines

This is in addition to Covid and flu jabs, which were already allowed. The new list includes rabies, polio and hepatitis boosters

Five things they don’t tell you about… French attitudes to healthcare

We take a sideways look at how healthcare is viewed in France - which may be a little different to your native country

France needs up to 15,000 pharmacists to fill gaps, unions say

Two thirds of pharmacies across the country report being understaffed and overworked, according to the pharmacy federation

French pharmacists offer medical consultations in new trial

Fifty pharmacies in Brittany are now able to advise patients who have 13 common symptoms, in an effort to compensate for a lack of doctors

French pharmacists to offer biosimilar medicines: What does it mean?

How does ‘biosimilar’ differ from ‘generic’ and which medicines are included in the new decree?

Do I still need to wear a mask in pharmacies in France?

Wearing masks in shops has not been required since March 14, but they are still mandatory on public transport and in hospitals

Covid France: ‘why we should test less but better’ and other updates

Free tests are now available at pharmacies on presentation of a sworn statement, a new anti-Covid pill is approved and problems with cold weather affecting test results

War in Ukraine: Rise in iodine tablet requests at French pharmacies

Iodine can be used to protect against the health effects of nuclear attacks. It comes after Russian leader Vladimir Putin placed his nuclear weapons forces on ‘high alert’

French woman, 88, charged more at pharmacy due to her age

The Normandy retiree said the ‘old age’ fee was ‘mentally hurtful’ and a sign of France ‘treating elderly people like children’. The fee has been in place for under-threes and over-70s since 2019

Price of Covid self-tests in pharmacies in France raises questions

Some supermarkets are selling them at a ‘cost price’ of as low as €1.24 a test whereas pharmacies are billing the state around €4.50 for each test, their fees included

Covid test numbers drop in France, questions over their usefulness now

Tests have now dropped beneath the symbolic threshold of 10 million per week, after reaching a peak on January 10, as experts ask whether such extensive testing is still helpful

French pharmacist accused of €18million Covid test fraud

The 46-year-old, who is head of several pharmacies across Paris, submitted invoices claiming to have sold more than three million more tests than he actually had

UK-France travel: how do I get new test to shorten quarantine period?

People arriving in France can leave their obligatory quarantine early if they show a negative Covid test, but how can you take a test while self-isolating?

Hospital operations postponed as more ‘plans blancs’ launch in France

The status allows establishments to divert resources to Covid patients and is likely ‘go national’ within days, says the health minister. Pharmacies can also now open on Sundays

What are the French equivalents of some common UK medicine brands?

Your French pharmacy may look full of unknown remedies but many are familiar if you just know what to ask for

French health pass: supervised self-tests can be used again, in theory

People have not been able to use autotests to obtain a pass since October 15, but the government has now withdrawn this ruling

France suspends online form for non-EU health pass QR codes

Visitors coming from outside the EU had been able to apply in advance for their vaccination certificates to be converted to a useable health pass code but this can now only be done in a French pharmacy at a cost of up to €36

French pharmacies to convert non-EU vaccination data into health pass

Visitors from outside the UK and EU who have a complete vaccination schedule have been struggling to get the necessary QR codes in time. Conversion will cost €30

Boxes of anti-anxiety drug recalled in France over incorrect leaflet

Instructions inside boxes of Alprazolam made by KRKA France laboratory recommend a maximum daily dose that is considerably too high

Cold and flu rising in France: What are some common medicine brands?

The decline of infection control measures is making it easier for diseases to spread. Check our list of French over-the-counter remedies to buy to help you get better

France requires increased stock of vital medicines to avoid shortages

French manufacturers must now build up two months’ supplies of ‘major therapeutic interest’ medicines, or face fines – as a shortage could be life-threatening to patients

Pharmacists in France allowed to renew and adjust repeat prescriptions

Patients with long-term illnesses who need constant medication will soon be able to have their prescriptions renewed at a pharmacy for up to a year without a visit to the doctor

French pharmacists now able to renew some doctor’s prescriptions

New rules mean people in France can choose a regular pharmacist and some repeat prescriptions can be given without a GP appointment

Opt for vaccination at pharmacy or GP in France, says union chief

A leading pharmacist has advised people to sign up on vaccine waiting lists with local pharmacies and GPs, rather than waiting for online appointments

You can now book Moderna jab appointment at French pharmacies and GPs

French government concerned about fall-off in vaccinations during the summer holidays

Pfizer Covid jab can be stored in fridge for a month - EU regulator

Previously, recommendations stated it should be stored in normal fridge conditions for only five days after defrosting

Covid France: Moderna vaccine available at pharmacies from May 28

The vaccine is based on similar technology to Pfizer-BioNTech’s and will be available at around 18,000 pharmacies and some GP clinics

Explained: How to use home Covid tests on sale in France

Covid self-tests will become available in pharmacies and possibly supermarkets this week. We explain what you need to know

France's pharmacies begin Covid jabs but say they lack doses

Pharmacies across France are set to begin vaccinations today (March 15), but many warn they lack enough doses to fulfil demand amid fears over the AstraZeneca jab

How to get a Covid-19 vaccination in a pharmacy in France

Pharmacies around the country are to begin giving Covid jabs to eligible patients next week. This is how it works

Covid France: Only 25% of AstraZeneca vaccines used to date

Supplies of the vaccine are building up in pharmacies, as the head of France's vaccination strategy said it must not be seen as a second-class vaccine

French doctors: Not enough time to order AstraZeneca vaccine

Private-practice doctors in France are authorised to administer the Covid jab from February 25 - but were given less than a week to order the doses

Pharmacies in France prepare to give AstraZeneca vaccines

The first deliveries of the disputed vaccine are set to arrive around February 19, with pharmacists calling the rollout a ‘public health mission’

Expired medical prescriptions can still be used in France

The government rules that repeat prescriptions can continue to be filled during the coronavirus lockdown for a limited period, even if they have expired

15-minute Covid-19 tests now in Paris train stations

Walk-in Covid testing centres have been set up outside five busy stations in the French capital to test travellers on their way to and from work

Covid-19 antigen tests available soon in French pharmacies

The 15-minute tests will be in 50% of pharmacies within two weeks as daily Covid-19 figures rise to new heights

Can French pharmacists advise on edible/poisonous mushrooms?

A reader question on French mushrooms is answered in The Connexion October edition.

Coronavirus blood test now available in French pharmacies

Fast blood tests to check for coronavirus antibodies are now available without prescription from pharmacies in France - but health authorities have said that people should still consult a doctor when interpreting results.

Trial resumes for French slimming drug Mediator

A trial into the deaths of hundreds of people in France suspected to have been caused by weight-loss drug Mediator, has resumed after an 11-week pause due to confinement.

French minister: ‘No Covid vaccine before end of 2021’

A vaccine against Covid-19 is unlikely to be available until the end of 2021, a French minister has said, in a rebuttal to claims by US President Donald Trump that one could be available “by the end of the year”.

France could have sold masks much earlier than thought

Pharmacies in France were legally permitted to sell masks to the general public much earlier than thought, it has emerged, with the government accused by some of “lying to pharmacists”.

Concern at cost of facemasks in French pharmacies

Consumer watchdog says masks could cost large families up to €200 per month

Face masks in France: How to wash and reuse safely

Reusable fabric face masks are to be widely available in France as deconfinement begins on May 11, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said, with advice now being issued on how to best use and reuse them.

Pharmacies in France will now sell face masks

Pharmacies in France are now legally allowed to sell fabric masks that cover the nose and mouth to the general public, after a U-turn decision from the government.

Covid-19: Can I buy a mask from a pharmacy in France?

France’s current policy of forbidding pharmacists from selling masks to the general public has been criticised after an interview of a pharmacist complaining about the rules has gone viral online.

Prescription renewals in France during Covid-19 crisis

Medical prescriptions for repeat drugs for people with serious illnesses are extended until April 15 and not May 31, as earlier announced by the government.

France limits sale of paracetamol due to Covid-19

France is now limiting the sale of paracetamol to just one or two packs per person - without a doctor’s prescription - as people stock up on the drug during the Covid-19 crisis.

Patients in France may get end-of-life drug at home

A powerful sedative used in palliative end-of-life care is to be available on prescription in all pharmacies in France within four months.

Painkillers will go behind pharmacy counters in 2020

Painkiller tablets such as aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen will be placed behind pharmacy counters and no longer be freely available on shelves in France from January 15 2020, it has been confirmed.

France may start giving out medicines in exact amounts

Medicines in France should be given out by the unit to avoid waste, it has been proposed, as Parliament considers and approves the idea for certain medicines by 2022.

French woman dies after eating poisonous wild mushroom

One woman has died and two people have been hospitalised in western France after accidentally eating poisonous, wild mushrooms; prompting health agencies to warn people of the dangers of foraging.

Why French pharmacy crosses are always green?

Did you know?

France 'plans stricter rules on sale of painkillers'

Health watchdog unveils to plans to take products such as paracetamol and ibuprofen behind pharmacy counters

France medication shortage crisis prompts PM meeting

Concerns are growing over a lack of certain medications in France, with some patients struggling to get their prescriptions, and the Prime Minister calling a meeting in Paris in an attempt to solve the issue.

Big variation in French non-prescription medicine cost

Non-prescription medication in France can vary in cost by as much as 300% - even for medication bought online - a rural family association has claimed, as it calls for greater price transparency.

Chemists may offer simple medicines without a doctor

Chemists may be allowed to deliver some medicines without a doctor’s prescription.