[Evaluation of drug efficacy].

The therapeutic value of drugs is currently assessed by the "commission de la transparence" (transparency committee), which since January 2005 has reported to the Haute autorité de santé (high health authority). After a drug is authorized for sale, this committee evaluates its therapeutic value, or more precisely, interest, taking into account other drugs already on the market to treat the same disease and the position of the drug expected in the overall therapeutic strategy of the concerned disease. The committee uses scientific methodology to determine the level of "expected medical service" and also evaluates the advantages that the new drug instead of this drug is expected to provide compared with other drugs for the same indication. The public health contribution of the drug is one of the criteria considered. A new methodology and clarification of its definition make it possible to assess this with precision. Quantification of these criteria results in a score for the drug that determines whether or not it will be reimbursed by the national health insurance fund. This score also helps the drug economics committee determine a price for the drug (improvement of the expected medical service).