[French National Authority for Health].

The French National Authority for Health (Haute Autorité de Santé, HAS) was created in 2004. The aim of this study was to examine three of its principal responsibilities, namely certification of healthcare facilities, definition of chronic illnesses (ALD, affections de longue durée), and production of clinical practice guidelines. The authors did not assess other HAS responsibilities, such as the role of the drug evaluation and reimbursement committee (Commission de Transparence).

[French national health insurance. The current situation].

An audit of the French national health insurance system would be justified by economic considerations alone, but this would risk overlooking the notions of solidarity and freedom to which the French are rightly attached. European comparisons suggest, however, that our system could be made more efficient without undermining public health. The national health insurance system allows each member of the population to receive high-quality medical care.