France launches initiative to extend medication shelf life

The French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) has launched a five-year initiative to extend the shelf life of 73 common medications. This project aims to reduce significant pharmaceutical waste and alleviate the financial burden on the French national health insurance system, which currently loses approximately 517 million euros annually due to unused, expired medicines.

Currently, most authorized medications in France have a shelf life of only two to three years, with fewer than 10% reaching five years. This short duration leads to the unnecessary destruction of thousands of boxes of effective treatments. The new program involves 14 pharmaceutical laboratories working to modify marketing authorizations to extend validity periods. Of the 73 treatments targeted—which include common medications such as paracetamol, amoxicillin, levothyroxine, melatonin, and lithium—47 are expected to reach a shelf life of four years or more.

In 2025, Cyclamed recovered 8,200 tonnes of unused medications intended for incineration. By re-evaluating expiration dates, authorities hope to ensure patient safety and drug efficacy while simultaneously reducing environmental pollution and healthcare expenditures.