The rise in Non-prescription drug prices.

According to the Rural Families survey, the price of over-the-counter drugs increased by more than 4% in 2017. An increase was denied by pharmacists who criticize the methodology used by the association.

Lozenges for the throat, tablets for stomach aches, cold sore treatment. The price of a dozen medicines sold without a prescription would have risen by 4.3% on average between 2016 and 2017, according to the 7th Observatory of Medicines from the Rural Families association.

This survey carried out among 40 pharmacies and 40 websites also highlight significant price differences depending on the place of sale. "From one pharmacy to another, the price of a drug goes, on average, from simple to triple," says rural families. She cites, in particular, the example of Maalox, which goes from 2.75 to 9.10 euros, or Nicopass, whose price varies between 13.9 and 34.1 euros.

Figures strongly contested by pharmacists. "We do not question their observations but their methodology and the representativeness of their panel," Denis Millet, chairman of the economy commission at the Federation of Pharmaceutical Syndicates of France (FSPF), explains to Figaro. According to IMS Pharma stat data from a panel of 14,000 pharmacies, the average price change for the 11 products studied by Rural Families is 0.7%."

The Loire-Atlantique pharmacist also raises that the association never mentions the characteristics of the drugs it compares. "Take the example of Maalox; in my pharmacy, I have 6 or 7 references of this drug. "The same goes for Nicopass, for which there are about fifteen products, Activir or Strepsils. I can offer a box of 40 mint chewable tablets or a pack of 20 red fruit flavouring sticks.

"We cannot all buy and sell at the same price."

And for each of these references, the laboratories set a different purchase price. It is then up to pharmacists to calculate the selling price according to the list price of the laboratory, the number of boxes purchased, and the margin applied. "Price variation is essentially a purchasing problem. We cannot all buy and sell at the same price," notes Denis Millet.

Manufacturers can also offer discounts to pharmacists who promise exclusivity or buy in substantial quantities. Result: the price displayed is sometimes lower than that of the catalogue. Small rural pharmacies have, in fact, more difficulty in posting low prices than pharmacies installed in large cities. Disparities could be reduced if large pharmacies sold part of their stocks to small structures, according to the FSPF.

The solution lies above all for rural families in the sale of generics, which does not vary since it is set nationally - an opinion shared by Denis Millet. "A pharmacist who does his job well has the corresponding generic drug. He will be able to offer a cheaper product to patients," he assures us.