Pharmacists to support tobacco-dependent patients

Pharmacists in three French regions will begin offering support to tobacco-dependent patients in 2027 as part of a two-year experimental program. The initiative aims to help individuals quit smoking through structured consultations and nicotine replacement therapy.

Compensation criticized as inadequate

The proposed payment for this service is 35 euros in total, which Fabrice Camaioni, president of the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions of France, called "quite scandalous." He argued that the compensation is far below what is typically offered in similar health experiments.

Workload versus payment mismatch

Christophe Wilcke, president of the Clinical Pharmacy Commission, agreed that the payment is insufficient. He noted that the 35 euros does not reflect the time and effort required, which should be closer to 1.40 euros per minute based on current standards.

Need for per-act payment

Wilcke emphasized the need for a payment per act for the service, highlighting that pharmacists may need to refer patients to general practitioners or addiction care structures. He stressed that pharmacists should be compensated immediately for the clinical assessments they perform.