Mycoses, insomnia: here are the 33 drugs that could soon be sold without a prescription

Obtaining a medical appointment has become an obstacle course for millions of French people. Result: 34% of the population would give up seeking treatment. And 26% go to the emergency room for simple everyday ailments.

Faced with this critical situation, the pharmacists’ unions (FSPF, USPO) and the NèreS collective are proposing to expand direct access to certain treatments through “delisting”. That is to say the authorization to dispense medicines without a prior prescription, under the wise advice of the pharmacist.

33 priority molecules to relieve first-line care

Representatives of the profession have identified 33 molecules already on sale over the counter in our European neighbors.

These treatments cover many common ailments:

• Joint pain;
• Allergic rhinitis;
• Digestive disorders;
• Occasional insomnia;

• Mycoses;

• Or even dermatological conditions.

“Every day, French people come to the counter for illnesses that we cannot yet treat due to lack of a suitable therapeutic arsenal.“, underlines Fabrice Camaioni, vice-president of the FSPF.

Beyond these 33 products, the unions imagine expanded care ranging from sore throat to conjunctivitis, including mild migraines or angina.

“The pharmacy aims to become the place of reference for the management of everyday ailments and prevention.“, says Pierre-Olivier Variot, president of the USPO.

Saving medical time and 370 million euros in savings

The network of pharmacies constitutes a unique and responsive territorial network, available without an appointment. For Luc Besançon, general delegate of NèreS, the findings are clear. “The pharmacists are ready. They have the skills, the training, the proximity. They currently lack a regulatory framework commensurate with what they can provide to the French.”

In addition to easier access to care, the issue is financial. The federation of laboratories estimates that the measure would enable savings of 200 million euros in medical consultations. But also 177 million euros on health spending for Health Insurance. Significant financial relief for Social Security.

Diagnostic delays and hidden costs: medical warnings

If the initiative aims to streamline the care pathway, it gives rise to reservations on a medical and economic level.

“Taking medications without a prescription can mask symptoms and delay detection of serious underlying conditions“, warns Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical.

By treating the symptom without looking for the cause, the final diagnosis becomes more complex. The doctor also points out the danger linked to overdose and drug interactions, in particular through the involuntary accumulation of identical molecules.

Finally, the final cost could weigh on household wallets. “Medicines purchased without a prescription are not reimbursed by Health Insurance and mutual insurance companies, which can represent a direct cost for the patient“, reminds the doctor. A bit disillusioned, the expert declares: “But hey, we are in the process of managing the medical and economic shortage…”.

Supervise delivery to guarantee patient safety

To mitigate these risks, the clinical filter role of the pharmacist must be reinforced during advice at the counter. “Questioning symptoms, looking for red flags and using rapid diagnostic orientation tests (TROD) constitute essential safeguards before any delivery” finally believes Dr. Kierzek.

The final decision now rests in the hands of the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM), the only authority authorized to validate this delisting. In 2025, the agency had only authorized the release of a single molecule over the counter: tranexamic acid, intended for the treatment of heavy periods.