18 May '15

Increasing use of Valium worries experts

Summary

Use of the sedative Valium is up by more than 25% over five years in Belgium, reaching records numbers in 2014

20 million doses

The use of Valium in Belgium has risen by more than a quarter in the past five years, according to the General Pharmaceutical Union (APB). The sedative can have side effects such as memory problems, loss of concentration and addiction. According to local press, public health minister Maggie De Block wants to encourage a more controlled use of sedatives and sleeping pills.
 

The APB calculated that Belgians used more than 20,613,000 doses of Valium last year. In 2013, the figure was about 17,741,000, and in 2010 it was just over 15,713,500. This represents a worrying trend, according to experts. Valium is used to combat anxiety and stress but also often as a sleeping pill.

According to APB, Belgium is one of the global leaders in the use of sedatives and sleeping pills in general. Last year, Belgians took nearly 491 million doses of sleeping pills. “That is dangerous,” said an APB spokesperson. “You cannot just stop taking this medication because of withdrawal symptoms. We strongly recommend that people stop taking them gradually.”

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Health-care system

The health-care system is federally organised in Belgium. Competing health insurance providers and a proportional contribution-based system ensure that healthcare is accessible to virtually all citizens and costs remain relatively low.
Law - From the age of 25, Belgian citizens and residents – both employees and those self-employed – are legally obliged to have health insurance.
Insurance providers - The mutualiteiten or mutual insurance associations are typically Christian, liberal, socialist or independent.
Services - Refunds are given for services such as doctor’s consultations, prescribed medication and hospital care costs.
1 945

national health-care system is born

13

percent of salary employees contribute to social security

50

to 75% of healthcare costs reimbursed by mutuality

  • NIHDI
  • European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
  • Crossroads Bank for Social Security

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