Warning over overuse of anxiety and insomnia medication in france

FRANCE IS SECOND BIGGEST USER IN EUROPE OF THIS TYPE OF PRESCRIBED MEDICATION The public and doctors in France are being warned against the overuse of a type of anti-anxiety and insomnia

medication, in a new campaign launched by the national medicines safety agency. The Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament (ANSM) launched the new campaign on April 10 in a bid to raise

awareness, among the general public and healthcare professionals, of the dangers of overuse of benzodiazepines which are medicines typically prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and

insomnia.  Common brand names of these medicines in France include Xanax, Lexomil, and Temesta, but there are many others (see list below). The ANSM is warning that their prescription and

use should be temporary, and that they should be taken for as short a period as possible. “The correct use is to use a medication that is suitable for a patient with a particular pathology

and we know that the patient's situation allows this medication to be used with a favourable risk/benefit balance,” said Professor Catherine Paugam-Burtz, director general of the ANSM,

to BFMTV. She said that it was important to consider “the dosage and the duration of the treatment”. The ANSM has a focus on benzodiazepines on the website LesMedicamentsEtMoi’ (medicines

and me), which redirects to this ANSM information page. OVERUSE IN FRANCE More than 9 million French people were prescribed benzodiazepine in 2024, ANSM figures show. This makes France the

second-highest consumer of these drugs in Europe, behind Spain, but “far ahead of the UK and Germany”, said Dr Philippe Vella, medical director at the ANSM.  The authority also estimates

that 40% of patients treated with benzodiazepines have prescriptions that offer the drugs for too long.  It recommends:  * Insomnia: Recommended duration of treatment is a few days, and no

more than three weeks * Anxiety: Recommended prescription should not exceed 12 weeks. “When we ask people who have been treated or are currently being treated, fewer than three out of five

know that they should be taken for a short period of time,” said Prof Paugam-Burtz. This is because the drugs can have some long-term effects, including causing dependence, and increasing

the risk of falls, memory disorders, drowsiness, and problems with driving.  The longer the treatment, the greater the risk of these adverse effects, the ANSM states. Read also: Widely

prescribed mental health drugs out of stock in French pharmacies  ALTERNATIVES TO TRY FIRST The authority is seeking to raise awareness of the measures that can be taken before the

prescription of such drugs, including:  Insomnia * Adopting a sleep routine that involves going to bed and getting up at the same time every day * Limiting stimulants such as coffee, alcohol

and tobacco * Avoiding large evening meals * Keeping the temperature in your bedroom below 19°C * Reducing your exposure to noise, light and screens, especially in the two hours before

bedtime * Taking physical exercise during the day, several hours before bedtime * Not to take naps for more than one hour during the day, or at too-late times (e.g. after 16:00) Anxiety *

Changing or eliminating the possible causes of the anxiety * Engaging in physical activity or a relaxing activity, such as yoga, gardening, cooking or reading * Meditation * Talking therapy

However, it also advises people suffering from anxiety not to hesitate to consult a doctor, who can then refer them to a psychologist or psychiatrist if necessary. NAMES FOR BENZODIAZEPINE

The ANSM warns that benzodiazepine drugs may be known/labelled as:  * Alprazolam (Xanax and its generic versions) * Bromazepam (Lexomil and its generic versions) * Clobazam (Urbanyl and

Likozam) * Potassium Clarozepate (Tranxene) * Clotiazepam (Veratran) * Diazepam (Valium and its generic versions) * Ethyl loflazepate (Victan) * Lorazepam (Temesta and generics) * Nitrazepam

(Mogadon) * Oxazepam (Seresta and generics) * Prazepam (Lysanxia and generics).  They may also be called:  * Estazolam (Nuctalon) * Loprazolam (Havlane) * Lormetazepam (Noctamid and

generics) * Zolpidem (Stilnox and generics) * Zopiclone (Imovane and generics).