France is a very paradoxical country.  Recognized for its rich and highly caloric foods, is a great paradox that France has a low prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. It is interesting to study the game market, especially health games, where the existing French health system is often considered by its inventors as a perfect model.  Let’s find out how the French health system would cope with a dynamic health game market.

What about policy ?

An experiment was carried in 2006 at the Claude Bernard University of Lyon 1 to evaluate the effectiveness of MicroSim, a self-education software system of computer simulations for students to practice emergency medicine protocols and procedures. For almost 2 years, not much happened. Upon receipt of the May 2008 report on the numeric university, the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, Ms. Valérie Pecresse, declared that she wished universities to be able to generate a bank of numeric documents, including serious games, on their own.

More recently in October  2008, Eric Besson proposed several actions in his government report “France Numerique 2012.”  Among these reports was a request that public training and education markets, particularly those concerning health and education, should be enriched by an approach based on serious gaming.

Consequently, Ms. Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, the French state secretary of Numerical Economy, recently declared on May 6, 2009 at the National Assembly that “she wants to use video games techniques for various domains like health.” As a matter of fact, about 50 millions Euro (about 70 million USD) should be spent via tenders for projects dedicated to serious games and web 2.0. The first projects should be selected by the end of this year.

No prevention, No salvation

With a growing body of the elder population, France has no choice but to reduce its health bill. Part of the goal could be achieved by reducing healthcare costs. However, this has led to ongoing and very unpopular reform. France’s health bill could also be lowered by emphasizing prevention at every age to delay the onset of disease. Consequently, a trend toward a responsible population acting for its health, also driven at the European level, is emerging like national health advertising campaigns on TV or other public actions like the Happy Night Club game to educate young people about the risks associated with the over-consumption of alcohol.

Did you say “Wii” or “oui”?

As a matter of fact, the Wii Fit is the most sold console in France and the Brain Development programs are amongst the top 20 best sellers.  But Nintendo should look in the rear-view mirror.

Just trailing the UK, France is expecting iPhone sales to reach 1 million by the end of the year. Taking into account the large availability of health and nutrition programs on iPhone, it might eat a significant part of the pie. Interestingly, as the new anti-obesity blue pill has started to be sold this month, a few days ago a European poll has shown that France accounts for the leanest population in Europe.

So where lies the paradox?

France has three of the best video game companies in the world of the video game industry. We have major private actors, a positive action from the government, and yet a small world market share. It will do, but we should do much better. Fortunately for the game industry, as the French people have to pay more and more by themselves and are facing less medical care reimbursement, they should find that games are a way to improve their health, and consequently for their purse.

About the author

Dr. Mohamed Selamnia is the founder of DCIS (Decisions and Innovation Consulting and Health) in Paris, where he devotes himself entirely to Helath 2.0 and national health events organization.  After his PhD in Physiology of Human Nutrition (Paris 7) in 1997, Mohamed conducted a postdoctoral fellowship for 18 months in basic oncology at Penn State University College of Medicine.  Back in France, he earned an MBA in Marketing BtoB at Paris-La Défense and started to work for a Business Consultant firm in Biotech. In 2001, he co-founded IMEDIAL in Gennevilliers, France where he has developed an expertise in pharmaceutical promotion and medical and participated in the development of several internal activity report software.  He has been the owner of DCIS since October of 2008.