France is a historically innovative nation in the field of healthcare, but it must face the ever-increasing pace of change in the sector. The country is trying to stay in the race, notably through the "Innovation Santé 2030" plan. The goal is to make France the leading innovative nation in health in Europe.
France benefits from major assets for innovation in health: a significant scientific history and production, a long tradition of clinical research, an extensive network of university hospital structures, a good training capacity, an environment favorable to start-ups, as well as companies of international stature established on its territory.
But the country also faces structural and strategic challenges: declining public research budgets, cumbersome administrative processes, the need to bring together research and care, public and private, production deficits, and the overall transformation of the health sector through digital technology.
Presented at the end of June 2021 by the President of the Republic, the Health Innovation Plan 2030 attempts to respond to these issues. The set of measures will benefit from a budget of 7 billion euros, with the ambition of "making France the first European nation to be innovative and sovereign in health".
Boosting biomedical research
First, it aims to strengthen French biomedical research by relying on large organizations such asInserm, CNRS and universities. To bridge the gap between research and care, the lack of investment in research infrastructures and the lack of career attractiveness, the Innovation 2030 Plan is based on the creation of centres of excellence.
The research law already provides for 25 billion euros of investment between now and 2030, part of which will benefit biomedical research. With an additional budget of one billion euros, the Innovation Plan proposes five concrete actions in favor of research:
- Relaunch and consolidate the health research site policy, by supporting the creation of six centers ofexcellence and three bio-clusters of global dimension.
- Supporting integrated health research projects, in particular involving university hospitals, research laboratories and private partners.
- Strengthen the deployment of health research infrastructures, cohorts and biobanks and ensure our sovereignty in preclinical research.
- Attracting or keeping young researchers of the highest international level in the territory by granting them a budget to create their laboratory.
- Implement new initial and continuing education programs, particularly in the digital field, to support changes in the research and health industries.
Investing in priority sectors
The government is also planning to invest 2 billion euros to support emerging technologies. The first area targeted is biotherapies and the bioproduction of innovative therapies. We are talking about drugs produced from living organisms thanks to "biotechnologies" resulting from advanced fundamental research. These therapeutic solutions represent a decisive challenge for patients, but also for the French economy and its health sovereignty.
The second priority sector for France is digital health. New technologies applied to healthcare can help us meet the challenges facing the country - an aging population, the development of chronic diseases and under-densification of medicine. Their emergence is gradually transforming the practices of professionals and patients. To encourage the emergence of innovative solutions and conquer the global market, several major public programs have been initiated, such as the Ségur numérique, the Health Data Hub, and the PariSanté Campus, recently inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Jean Castex.
Streamline procedures
The last major component of the French strategy is the simplification of regulations. Whether it concerns clinical research, marketing authorizations or reimbursement, the authorities promise to simplify and accelerate procedures. At the same time, the plan calls for easier market access for innovations, a stable framework and financial support for the healthcare industry, thanks in particular to the support of Bpifrance, the French Tech Sovereignty in Health fund and the Tibi initiative.
The Plan will be driven and managed by the Agency for Health Innovation, which should be created in 2022. France is thus displaying its ambitions for the future of research and medicine. It is putting in place strategies, mechanisms, structures and funding to meet the health challenges of tomorrow.
