France Launches State Reimbursement for Obesity Drugs

From mid-June, France will begin reimbursing anti-obesity drugs for patients with severe obesity. The country will become the first European Union member state to introduce systemic public financing for modern weight-loss drugs. The announcement was made by Health Minister Stéphanie Rist.

The reimbursement will apply in particular to Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, two drugs that have transformed obesity treatment worldwide in recent years. The French government estimates that the measure will cost around €100m ($113m) annually once fully implemented. Patients currently pay an average of around €300 ($340) a month for treatment.

Patients with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35 and related health conditions, as well as people with a BMI above 40 regardless of other diagnoses, will qualify for reimbursement. The state will officially reimburse 65% of the cost, although in practice most patients are expected to receive full reimbursement through complementary insurance coverage.

Pharmaceutical companies welcomed the decision as a major step in addressing obesity, which they describe as a serious chronic disease. France has allowed doctors to prescribe the drugs since 2024.

The debate over weight-loss drugs is also gaining momentum across Europe. Last week, the European Medicines Agency recommended approval of a tablet version of Wegovy, which could become the first oral anti-obesity drug available on the European market.

(reuters, max)