The French reported on average two boxes of unused medicines in pharmacies in 2023

The quantity of unused medicines recovered in the 20,500 community pharmacies is decreasing, around 8,500 tonnes in 2023 compared to 9,415 tonnes in 2022. Fahroni/IStokc.com

The French reported on average two boxes of unused medicines in pharmacies in 2023, a figure slightly decreasing, a consequence of the drop in medicine sales, shortages and better compliance with treatments, Cyclamed said on Friday. .

The quantity of unused medicines recovered in the 20,500 community pharmacies is decreasing, around 8,500 tonnes in 2023 compared to 9,415 tonnes in 2022, explains Cyclamed, an organization which collects and recycles the medicines expired or not used by patients.

This corresponds to two boxes per inhabitant in 2023 compared to the equivalent of 2.3 boxes reported a year earlier. Cyclamed highlights a decrease of around 1% on average in drug sales in number of boxes each year for 20 years and patients who "show better compliance with their treatment".

Another reason mentioned, "stock shortages are a phenomenon which is not without consequences on the behavior of the French", according to Cyclamed which is based on a study carried out in May 2024 by the CSA institute among 1,000 people.

Shortage of medicines

This survey reveals that among the 26% of French people who were faced with a shortage of medicine, more than half (55%) kept their unused medicines instead of returning them to the pharmacy.

The pharmacies have cardboard receptacles to collect the medicines returned. As part of their daily drug delivery rounds, wholesale distributors collect them in their van.

These receptacles are placed either in padlocked containers or in compactors, a new feature since last year to "double the storage capacity" and thus optimize transport.

When they are full, they are transported to energy recovery units, where they are incinerated to help light and heat thousands of homes each year. There has been no more humanitarian redistribution of unused medicines since the end of 2008.