French Government Negotiates Big Discount for Hep C Drug Sovaldi

It seems that the French government has made good on its promise to secure a highly reduced price for hepatitis C drug Sovaldi from Gilead Sciences.

The revelation signifies the French government’s commitment to ensuring that all patients get access to new and effective treatments. This is in addition to reducing the overall burden to the country’s finances.

A 12-week regimen will now cost $51,400 instead of $71,100, which is a reduction of around 27% and makes it the lowest price in Europe.

Sovaldi has a particularly high cure rate (over 90%) and so is widely prescribed to combat hepatitis C. But with the cost of the treatment in the U.S. exceeding $84,000, people have feared that it could be a budget-busting medication.



It is thought that some 200,000 people in France alone are living with hepatitis C but this new agreement should go some way to reduce that figure going forward.

The French government also announced that it would look to selectively tax pharmaceutical companies when their drugs exceeded a certain cost each year. Something that further emphasises the country’s dedication to world-class healthcare services for all.

To find out more about the French healthcare system or for a free personal quote, contact France Surgery today.