Since October 2003, France's health-care system has required users to purchase generic medications, when these exist, if they wish their medical prescriptions to be covered. Physicians have agreed that 75% of all prescriptions will be for generic medications, and pharmacists are committed to making the necessary substitutions. Physicians, pharmacists and users will thus be utilising an increased volume of generic medications.
Presented here in alphabetical order are the 150 molecules contained in approximately 1600 medications that are on the market today. More than a list of generic equivalents, this is an “intelligent” guide to medications.
Each molecule listed is described with its pharmacological activity, therapeutic indications and contra-indications, dosages and major recommendations. This is a highly useful pedagogical guide, since brand names will gradually disappear in favour of their chemical names (paracetamol instead of Doliprane, fluoxetine instead of Prozac).

Denis Stora, the holder of a doctorate in pharmaceutical studies, has been a licensed pharmacist for twelve years. He is a teacher and the author of numerous practical books for nurses and pharmacists.