... but reimbursing expensive sugar is not one of them.
I find it appalling that such a developed and modern country, where reason is so highly valued (or used to be), allows homeopathic pills to be reimbursed.
This is, essentially, financing a scam.
I went to the pharmacy the other day, due to a minor flu, and talked to the pharmacy clerk:
- I have the flu. Symptoms A, B, C, no fever, nothing too worrysome. What do you recommend?
- Oscillococcinum.
Let me show you what she recommended me:
- Wow, what a great scientific-sounding name. Looks like some kind of bacteria, so... it must be some kind of antibiotics, right? Oh wait, I don't want such powerful medication, it's just a small flu.
- Oh, no, don't worry, it's homeopathy.
Wait. A pharmacy clerk is telling me to buy industrialized homeopathy? Like this, in public, without shame? What is wrong with these people? Have they never heard of the scientific method? But she works at a pharmacy, she has at least some kind of technical diploma! She should know better, she who works at the place!
Well, maybe "placebo" a new kind of hype these days?
Oh, wait, look at the price. 54,55 €, that explains it all.
Ok, just cold business principles trampling over reason and concerns about the actual health of the client.
No, not really: after politely refusing it, she indicated me the cheapest medicine she could find:
Good old paracetamol. As a bonus, some added C vitamin. And cheap as hell (for French living wages, that is) - this site indicates 2.30 €, but for mine I paid 1.55 €.
(Granted, I cannot compare them directly, because these prices do not come from the same website, and do not correspond to equivalent quantities. But in the pharmacy, the price difference was about the same: 20x. Also, if you intend to spend 30 days sick with flu-like symptoms, then you have got bigger problems...)
Now, I don't know what's more worrisome: if the pharmacy clerk is just trying to make more profit, or if she really believes homeopathy works. I guess the former would worry me less: it is evil, but at least rational.
In the end, science triumphed for me: I got the best of both worlds, spent little money and got better. But for the French healthcare system, it's the scammers who got the upper hand. But few people actually seem to care.
Note: some people are wondering, what does this have to do with "user experience"? Well, that's what placebo is all about... "If I spent 55€ on this, it's OBVIOUSLY going to work!" And it does, because placebo does work... a bit. But hardly when you are really sick.
Note 2: Guess what's inside Oscillococcinum? Duck liver! Yes, it's the foie gras of the sugar pills! That would explain the price, and why French use it... Now if they just made a pill based on wine...