PharmaBoardroom’s list of personalities whose voices, opinions and decisions matter in French pharma’s industry, regulatory affairs, reimbursement and pricing.
Maurice-Pierre Planel — President of CEPS
Maurice-Pierre Planel Has been heading the Economic Committee of Health Products (CEPS) since December 2015.
CEPS contributes to the development of pharmaceutical policy, implements the guidelines it receives from the competent ministers, in particular, the committee applies these guidelines to the setting of drug prices, the monitoring of expenditure and the financial regulation of the market.
To carry out this action, the committee may conclude agreements with companies or groups of companies on the price of medicines and its evolution, discounts, commitments by companies concerning the proper use of medicines and sales volumes, and procedures for the participation of companies in the implementation of ministerial guidelines.
Planel was also an adviser to former Minister of Health Marisol Touraine and is a lecturer at the infamous French school, Sciences Po Paris. He writes and speaks extensively on healthcare transparency and the price of medicines.
Read our recent interview with Maurice-Pierre Planel here.
Pr Dominique Le Guludec — President, The French National Authority for Health (HAS)
Dominique Le Guludec was appointed as President of The French National Authority for Health (HAS), in December 2017. She is a cardiologist, professor of biophysics and nuclear medicine and a specialist in cardiovascular imaging.
HAS is an independent public scientific authority with an overall purpose of contributing to the regulation of the healthcare system by improving health quality and efficiency.
HAS’s missions include: evaluating drugs and medical devices from a medical and economic point for reimbursement, defining recommendations for good clinical practice and public health and informing health professionals and the public about good care practices, conducting medico-economic studies and the production of care guides intended for professionals and patients.
Pr Christian Thuillez — Chair of the Transparency Committee HAS
Christian Thuillez was appointed as the chair of the Transparency Committee at HAS in May 2017.
The Committee’s main task is to assess medicinal products in order to provide recommendations on reimbursement decisions made by the public authorities.
He has been Chief of the Pharmacology Department at the University Hospital of Rouen since 1990. He is also Vice-President of the National Conference of Deans of the Faculties of Medicine and is a member of the Office of the National Coordinating Council for Hospital Research.
Nicolas Revel — General Manager, National Health Insurance Fund – CNAM
Nicolas Revel took the helm of the National Health Insurance FundCNAM in December 2014. Based in Paris, CNAM is the main public health insurer in France, covering over 90% of the French population (salaried workers, self-employed workers, and students), through 128 local health insurance funds. It is under the supervision of the Social Security Ministry and Finance and Economy Ministry.
CNAM’s missions are to: ensure the implementation of agreements between UNCAM (National Union of Health Insurance Funds) and the representative unions of various health professions, develop the medical control of health expenditure, define and promote the prevention of illness, occupational accidents and occupational diseases and organize and direct the medical service of the general insurance scheme.
Nicolas Revel is very close to the French president Emmanuel Macron with whom he previously worked alongside as deputy secretary general of the presidency of the Republic.
Thomas Wanecq, Deputy-Director, Health Care Funding at The Directorate of Social Security (DSS).
Thomas Wanecq has held the position of Deputy-Director, Health Care Funding at The Directorate of Social Security (DSS) since July 2013.
The Health Care Financing Sub-Directorate oversees the control of health insurance expenditures, coordinates the development and monitoring of the national health insurance expenditure target (ONDAM) and the sickness portion of the financing legislation of Social Security (LFSS) voted each year by Parliament.
The DSS is responsible for the development and implementation of the Social Security policy: health insurance, occupational accidents and diseases, retirement, family, dependence, financing and governance.
Prior to holding this position, he was project manager for “Elderly Health Care Pathway” and “Experiments on new methods of remuneration of health professionals” at the DSS.
Philippe Tcheng — LEEM President
In September 2018 Philippe Tcheng was elected president of the LEEM for a two-year term. LEEM is the most powerful professional organization of drug companies operating in France.
They represent more than 260 member companies, which account for nearly 98% of the total turnover of drugs in France.
LEEM also anticipates and analyzes the qualitative and quantitative evolution of trades and employment, and assists companies in setting up and sourcing talent with the right skills.
Mr Tcheng is also the head of government relations for France’s national Champion Sanofi and since January 2018, he is also CEO of Sanofi-Aventis Group, an entity responsible for support functions in France (market access, communication, public affairs).
Since 2007, Philippe Tcheng has been co-secretary of the Strategic Council for Health Industries (CSIS) under the authority of the Prime Minister.
He is also the director of the National Research Agency and has been made Knight of the National Order of Merit.
Olivier Laureau — Les Laboratoires Servier
Mr Olivier Laureau has been President of Les Laboratoires Servier SAS since 2014 and Independent Director of EGIS Pharmaceuticals Public Limited Company since 2009. Servier is the largest privately owned pharma company in France and the second largest pharma company in the country.
They specialise in medication for cardiological and rheumatological conditions, as well as for diabetes and clinical depression.
Its medicinal products include perindopril, indapamide, gliclazide, ivabradine hydrochloride, strontium ranelate, and agomelatine.
Read our recent interview with Oliver Laureau here.
Alexandre Merieux — bioMérieux
Mr Alexandre Mérieux serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of bioMérieux, Inc. In December 2017 he succeeded Jean-Luc Bélingard, who had been Chairman and CEO of the Company since 2010. He is the youngest son of Alan Merieux, the founder of bioMérieux.
In addition to his role as Chief Executive Officer of bioMérieux, Mr Mérieux is Vice President of Institut Mérieux and Chairman of Mérieux Développement. He also chairs the Board of Mérieux NutriSciences.
bioMérieux is a multinational biotechnology company founded and headquartered in France. They are present in more than 150 countries through 42 subsidiaries and a large network of distributors.
They develop and produce in vitro diagnostic solutions (systems, reagents and software) for private and hospital laboratories, mainly for the diagnosis of infectious diseases.
Mr Mérieux holds a degree in Biology from Lyon I University and is a graduate of HEC Montreal Business School.
Eric Ducournau — Pierre Fabre
Mr Eric Ducournau has been the Chief Executive Officer of Pierre Fabre S.A. since July 2018. Pierre Fabre is a French multinational pharma company that also creates scientifically geared skin and hair care products.
The Dermo-Cosmetics division of Pierre Fabre has represented around 50 percent of the company’s total sales in the last three years.
Prior to becoming the CEO of the company, Ducournau served as CEO of the Dermo-Cosmetics Division at Pierre Fabre from October 2012.
Before joining Pierre Fabre Mr Ducournau served as a Director at Boiron SA. from June 30, 2005, after holding positions of increasing responsibility since joining in 2000.
