EPI-PHARE publishes an update of its study on the dispensation of reimbursed prescription drugs in pharmacies since the start of the pandemic in France.

The results after 5 weeks of confinement in France show a return to a standardized consumption of treatments for chronic pathologies since mid-April, after an initial phenomenon of “storage” during the first 2 weeks of confinement.

In addition, the results confirm the very strong decrease in the delivery of products which require administration by a health professional, in particular vaccines but also products intended for medical diagnostic procedures such as colonoscopies, scanners and MRIs.

For the treatment of Covid-19, purchases on medical prescription of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine were limited in time in connection with the media coverage of this potential treatment; the combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin jumped 7,000% in week 13 to reach approximately 10,000 patients.

The follow-up carried out by EPI-PHARE on more than 450 million prescriptions with reimbursement data updated every week is essential and will be continued until the end of the pandemic.