Opposition grows in France to new charges for drugs and ambulance trips

As France prepares to enforce on 1 January its latest non-reimbursable medical fee, opposition is building to what critics have called everything from unconstitutional to the only unpopular measure proposed by the president, Nicolas Sarkozy, since he came to power last May.

Furthermore, critics say that this and other such measures are moving France towards a healthcare system that is based upon payment according to means, which would leave many people either unable or unwilling to pay for medical treatment.

Introduced on 24 September among a series of measures to reduce a social security deficit predicted to reach €12.7bn (£9.1bn; $18.7bn) in 2008, the law was passed in parliament on 23 November. It calls for a non-reimbursable charge of €0.50 on …