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Health: menstrual products finally reimbursed at pharmacies!

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The Editor

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This is a little revolution for menstruating individuals in France and beyond. After three years of waiting, the reimbursement for reusable menstrual products at pharmacies will finally take effect starting next school year, for a whole group of people. A huge victory for everyone involved!

This Thursday, April 16, 2026, will be a date to remember with a big smile in the history books. Or rather with a celebratory cheer! Indeed, the government just announced the long-awaited reimbursement for reusable menstrual products, making France the second European country to take this step after Scotland. We’re so proud of this silver medal, even though we would have loved for things to go even further…


A topic finally un-tabooed

For a few years now, menstruation and all the sanitary and financial constraints that come with it have (almost) stopped being the ultimate taboo and have finally moved into the public discourse. Among the top priorities, access to menstrual products for vulnerable populations, especially students. After various initiatives put in place by a number of organizations, …

Universities across the country, like free distributions, or the implementation of menstrual leave, the State has also decided to take the leap. Indeed, this Thursday, the Ministers of Health (Stéphanie Rist) and Gender Equality (Aurore Bergé) announced the publication of the decree on the partial reimbursement of underwear and reusable menstrual products.


A little revolution for everyone

Starting in September 2026, health insurance will reimburse the purchase of menstrual products at pharmacies. This measure is included in the 2024 budget, as it was voted on at the end of 2023, and it's finally happening, much to the joy of associations and manufacturers who were starting to lose hope. In practice, this will affect a quarter of the French population, which is the proportion of people with periods in the country. However, it will only directly impact certain individuals, namely those under 26, as well as anyone with complementary health coverage like CMU-C, this time without an age limit, totaling 6.7 million people.e excellent news! Because, as everyone would agree, no one should have to give up on their health and intimate hygiene due to financial means. However, it would have been nicer if, like in Scotland, this measure were universal, but perhaps we're just being a bit greedy…