French pharmacies attract American visitors with their lower prices
Pharmacists say some tourists are buying medication in France - both prescription and over-the-counter - to save money
Some visitors to France find that medicine prices are less expensive than in their home country
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American tourists are avoiding US pharmacy prices by purchasing medication in France, confirms a French pharmacy union.
“In pharmacies, particularly in Paris, we see American tourists, but also visitors of other nationalities, such as Chinese tourists, ask for medication, whether prescription or over-the-counter,” a spokesperson from the Union de syndicats de pharmaciens d’officine (USPO) told The Connexion.
Even without French health insurance, some visitors find that buying medicine in France is less expensive than doing so at home. Brand-name drugs are more than four times more expensive in the US than in 33 comparison countries, stated a 2024 study by American policy think tank the Rand Institute.
“France and Japan generally have the lowest prices among the comparison countries for all drugs and for brand-name originator, biologics, and nonbiologic drugs separately,” reads the study.
Ozempic, used to treat people with type 2 diabetes, went viral in recent years after being dubbed the ‘celebrity weight-loss drug’. In the US the list price (the original price set by a manufacturer before any discounts are applied) is just under $1,000 per month, while in France it is thought to be roughly $80, reported a 2023 study by the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.
No official figures exist as to the number of Americans buying medication in France, however. “GLP-1 analogues such as Ozempic require a prescription in France, which limits the phenomenon to some extent,” the USPO explained.
French pharmacies are authorised to sell medicines prescribed by a European doctor to foreign patients, however individual pharmacists can ultimately decide whether or not to accept an international prescription.
“Pharmacists also highlight a contrast with the United States, where drugs such as opioids and certain antibiotics can be sold without a prescription, which often surprises visitors when they discover France's stricter legislation,” said the USPO.
The pharmacy union cited the example of A313 [retinol cream], which does not require a prescription in France and is known to be far more effective than over-the-counter options in the US. This particular product is often requested after “becoming trendy on social media” for its regenerative skin renewal properties.
American influencers and content creators who post videos recommending their ‘must-buy’ skincare and cosmetic items when visiting French pharmacies gain thousands of likes and views. Commonly featured brands include Caudalie, La Roche-Posay, Avène and Vichy.
Read also: Chronic illnesses, language barriers and French health bureaucracy
