France will become the first European Union country to reimburse anti-obesity medicines for severely obese patients, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced on Thursday. The reimbursement will begin in mid-June, with the government paying for prescribed treatments that help with weight loss for patients who meet the criteria for severe obesity.
The policy follows growing demand for anti-obesity drugs in Europe and beyond after the launch and rising use of products such as Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro. Both outlets note that governments are watching these treatments as overweight and obesity rates rise.
Rist estimated the cost to the state at about €100 million per year once the programme is fully rolled out. Business Standard reports that patients currently pay around €300 per month on average for the drugs in France. The minister did not specify how many patients are receiving treatment under the current system.
The announcement positions France as an early mover on public reimbursement for these therapies within the EU.
