1. Analytical summary

A strategy that is entering its final stretch, under the sign of equity

Adopted in 2017, the SN2S 2017-2030 advocates a comprehensive, positive and rights-based approach (p. 10-11). This third roadmap ensures the final phase and places social determinants at the heart of the action: territorial, socio-economic and discrimination-related inequalities are the guiding thread (p. 6). It targets exposed or hard-to-reach populations — young people, individuals living with HIV, MSM, women distanced from their rights, transgender individuals, those with disabilities, migrants, vulnerable individuals, those in prostitution, overseas populations (p. 7). Two significant innovations: reproductive health affirmed as a pillar and chemsex addressed for the first time in a dedicated axis (p. 7, 48).

Twenty-two operational actions, backed by structures and funding

The roadmap translates these orientations into 22 concrete actions (p. 20-21): promotion and EVARS including outside the school environment, training for professionals, combating misinformation, universal accessibility of tools, sexual health in ESSMS, innovative screening, abortion and contraception, long-term PrEP, clear offer, extended long consultations beyond 26 years, multidisciplinary chemsex pathways, research and evaluation, overseas responses. It relies on already established mechanisms: sexual health and mediation centres (CSMSS) and regional coordination committees (CoReSS, formerly CoReVIH) responsible for territorial animation (p. 14). Its success is conditioned on a fine regional adaptation.

The five axes of the 2026-2030 roadmap (p. 20-21): 

1. Promotion of sexual health, information, training and EVARS
2. Improvement of pathways, screening, biomedical prevention and care
3. « Chemsex » — an awaited political response
4. Improvement of knowledge for public action in sexual health
5. Overseas territories

Troisième et dernière étape de la Stratégie nationale de santé sexuelle 2017-2030, la feuille de route 2026-2030 garde le même cap que la précédente (2021-2024) mais en resserre la mise en œuvre : on passe de trente actions à vingt-deux, désormais organisées en cinq axes. Ce resserrement tient surtout à une consolidation, plusieurs actions ciblées sur un public particulier en 2021 (personnes migrantes, personnes en situation de prostitution, Maisons des adolescents) étant maintenant traitées de façon transversale plutôt qu'isolément. Le changement le plus visible concerne le chemsex : simple action parmi d'autres en 2021-2024, il devient un axe à part entière, à la croisée de la santé sexuelle, de l'addictologie et de la santé mentale. À côté de continuités souvent reformulées ou élargies (formation des professionnels, dépistage, contraception, IVG, accès aux soins des personnes trans, santé sexuelle en établissement médico-social) apparaissent quelques nouveautés nettes : une action contre la désinformation, l'élargissement de la consultation longue de santé sexuelle au-delà de 26 ans, une attention spécifique à la santé sexuelle des femmes ayant des rapports avec des femmes, et un cadre d'évaluation des politiques publiques. Fidèle à sa promesse de renforcer ce qui fonctionne et d'abandonner ce qui ne marche pas, cette feuille de route laisse aussi de côté certains dispositifs de 2021, comme le Service national universel ou la saisine de la HAS sur la contraception masculine.

2. Key points of the document

1️⃣ A narrowed framework: 5 axes, 22 actions, 5 cross-cutting levers

The strategy is divided into five axes (promotion/EVARS; pathway-screening-biomedical prevention; chemsex; knowledge; Overseas) and 22 actions, supported by five levers: visibility, simplification of pathways, combating inequalities, research, evaluation (p. 20-21).

2️⃣ Chemsex, a new axis in its own right

For the first time, a dedicated axis places chemsex at the intersection of sexual health / addiction / mental health. The document takes up the estimate from the Benyamina report (2022, cited data) of 100,000 to 200,000 people affected in France, mainly MSM, and calls for multidisciplinary pathways (p. 48-51).

3️⃣ A setback in prevention among young people

According to the survey CSF-2023 (cited data), the use of condoms at first intercourse is declining (75.2% among women, 84.5% among men) and 13% of 15-17 year olds report not using any form of contraception; the median age of first intercourse is 18.2 years (women) and 17.7 years (men) (p. 24).

4️⃣ A offer in reconfiguration, more readable and community-oriented

Transition from CoReVIH to CoReSS (March 2025), sustainability of health and sexual health mediation centres (CSMSS) with a goal of 5 new centres bringing the network to 9 structures, and expansion of long-term sexual health consultations beyond the age of 26 (p. 14, 42).

5️⃣ Territorial equity and overseas territories as priorities

A whole axis targets Mayotte, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique and Reunion, where the indicators are structurally more disadvantaged (HIV/STI prevalence, delays in diagnosis, insufficient HPV coverage); public action there is differentiated, with Guyana and Mayotte accumulating vulnerabilities (p. 56).

3. Action pathways for local actors

1️⃣ Link to a specific action to fund a project

Identify the action (no. 1 to no. 22, p. 20-21) that overlaps with its activity and use it as a reference in ARS files / regional project calls, relying on CoReSS for territorial anchoring.

2️⃣ Develop the promotion and EVARS outside of school hours

Action no. 1 (p. 24) explicitly targets young people outside of school, including those neither in employment, education, nor training: build out-of-school activities, in local missions or youth structures, in coordination with the EVAR-EVARS programme of the National Education.

3️⃣ Make its tools truly accessible

Action no. 4 (p. 30) aims for universal accessibility: adapt its materials into easy-to-read formats and for allophone individuals or those with disabilities, in connection with the plan for intimate, affective and sexual life of people with disabilities (p. 19).

4️⃣ Structuring an online chemsex response

Actions no. 17-18 (p. 50-51) call for multidisciplinary pathways: map the actors in sexual health, addiction (CSAPA, CAARUD) and mental health in your area, and formalise referral partnerships with the support of the ARS and the CPTS.

5️⃣ Investing in sexual health in ESSMS

Action no. 5 (p. 31) addresses intimate, emotional and sexual life in social and medico-social establishments and services: include the subject in the establishment project, train the teams and remove organisational barriers around the sexuality of elderly or disabled people.

6️⃣ Relying on CoReSS to coordinate and direct

The regional CoReSS (formerly CoReVIH) animates, coordinates institutional, associative and community actors and adapts actions to the local context (p. 7, 14): consult it to identify partners, direct users and avoid duplication.

Unmet need / necessary adaptation: the document remains programmatic. The milestones are dated (2026-2028) but the concrete modalities, budgets per action and ready-to-use tools are not included here: plan to supplement with sectoral operational guides (see references below) and with the regional adaptations of the ARS.

4. Additional references

• Sexualities and sexual health: public health issues throughout life — utilises the CSF-2023 data, complementary to the diagnosis of the roadmap.

• Sexual health in France: new findings and levers for action for comprehensive prevention — puts the EVARS and the use of products in a sexual context into perspective.

External resources 

• Federation Addiction & AIDES (Nov. 2024). Guide for implementing a multidisciplinary offer — Moving towards chemsex users. Operational guide (ARPA-Chemsex project): diagnosis, network, RdRD, mental health — directly complements actions no. 17-18.

• Public health France (Feb. 2025). The practice of chemsex in the ERAS surveys (MSM), developments 2017-2023. Recent data to objectify the phenomenon and target the interventions.

• High Council for Public Health (2025). Mid-term evaluation of the National Sexual Health Strategy and recommendations. Illuminates the logic that presided over this third roadmap.

5. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1️⃣ Who is this roadmap aimed at?

At institutional, associative and community actors in sexual health, as well as professionals in the health, social, medical-social and educational fields. It primarily targets populations exposed to inequalities (p. 7, 23).

2️⃣ How many actions does it include and how are they organised?

22 actions divided into 5 axes, based on 5 transversal levers (readability, simplification, combating inequalities, research, evaluation) (p. 20-21).

3️⃣ What changes concretely for local services?

The CoReVIH have become the CoReSS (March 2025), the health and sexual health mediation centres (CSMSS) are being sustained with a goal of 9 structures, and the long consultation for sexual health is extended beyond 26 years (p. 14, 42).

4️⃣ Why is there a specific focus on chemsex?

Because the phenomenon lies at the intersection of sexual health / addiction / mental health and requires multidisciplinary pathways; the document estimates it (cited data, Benyamina report 2022) at 100,000-200,000 people, mostly MSM (p. 48-51).

5️⃣ What is planned for young people?

The strengthening of promotion and EVARS in schools and out of school, including for young people not in employment, education, or training, in support of the EVAR-EVARS programme of the National Education (p. 22, 24).

6️⃣ How are overseas territories taken into account?

Through a dedicated axis covering Mayotte, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique and Réunion, with differentiated responses; Guyana and Mayotte accumulate vulnerabilities (p. 56).

7️⃣ Does this document replace existing field guides?

No. It is a strategic framework: it sets orientations, dated milestones and structures, but refers to sectoral plans and guides (disability, chemsex, misinformation, equality) for concrete implementation (p. 18-19).

6. Rewriting in FALC (Easy to Read and Understand)

What does this document talk about?

• Sexual health is taking care of your body and your love life.

• It is also having reliable information. And being able to go and get treatment.

• The state has written a plan for sexual health. This plan runs from 2026 to 2030.

• This plan contains 22 actions. They are classified into 5 main themes.

• The plan aims to help everyone. Especially those who have little assistance.

The important ideas

• We need to better inform young people about sexual health.

• Fewer young people use condoms at first intercourse. This is a problem.

• Chemsex is taking drugs during sex. It is a new theme of the plan.

• Chemsex can be dangerous. We need to help the people involved without judging them.

• Some help centres are changing their names. The CoReVIH are becoming the CoReSS.

• These places help with everything: HIV, contraception, love life.

• The overseas territories need tailored assistance.

• Tools must be easy to read. For everyone.

Words explained

EVARS : classes at school about love life and sexuality.

Chemsex : taking drugs during sexual intercourse.

STI : disease that is caught through sexual intercourse.

CoReSS : group that organises sexual health in a region.

7. Cross-sectional analysis — values of Health Practices

• Literacy — Yes : the readability of the offer and universal accessibility (allophones, disability) are a cross-cutting lever and the subject of action no. 4 (p. 30).

• Empowerment — Yes, with the aim: to strengthen the capacity of individuals to make informed and autonomous choices throughout their emotional and sexual lives (p. 22); the concrete modalities remain to be defined locally.

• Participation — Partial : the development was based on working groups and the hearing of stakeholders and qualified individuals (p. 20); the co-construction with the individuals concerned is not well detailed in the body of actions.

• Community health — Yes : health centres and mediation in sexual health (CSMSS) of the community approach and the role of community actors, notably regarding chemsex (p. 14, 49).

• Ethics — Yes : approach based on consent, dignity and autonomy; attention to social representations and non-stigmatisation (p. 10, 48).

• Human rights — Yes : a "positive and rights-based" approach, sexual and reproductive rights, abortion enshrined in the Constitution in 2024 (p. 10, 14).

• Intersectorality — Strong : inter-ministerial steering (National Education, Justice, Overseas, Higher Education, MIPROF) and coordination with many national plans (p. 5, 18-19).

• Partnership — Yes : formalised model via CoReSS for regional coordination of institutional, associative and community actors (p. 7, 14).

• Fight against discrimination — Yes : fighting against inequalities related to discrimination as a guiding principle; alignment with the LGBTI+ plan (DILCRAH), fighting against serophobia; affirmed non-judgment (p. 6, 18).

8. Evaluation of the reliability of the resource

Scientific relevance

High. First-rate institutional source (DGS), collaboratively developed and based on recent work (CSF-2023 survey, ERAS survey, Benyamina report 2022, mid-term evaluation of the HCSP). The data used is dated and, most often, attributed. Usage note: the document is subsequent to my knowledge base, so the above analysis relies solely on the file.

Operational relevance

Indirect. Programmatic and normative text: it sets orientations, dated milestones (2026-2028) and structures, but does not provide either detailed budgets by action or ready-to-use tools. Its field utility lies in the positioning (funding, partnerships, priority populations) more than in immediate application.

⚠️ Identified internal inconsistencies

Date of the EVAR-EVARS programme : stated "published in January 2025" (p. 12) then "since its publication in February 2025" (p. 18).

Network of CSMSS : objective of 9 structures announced "by 2030" (p. 7) then " by 2027" (p. 14).

These discrepancies do not affect the substance but deserve verification if the dates are reused.

9. Strategic hashtags

#SexualHealth #HealthPromotion #EVARS #Chemsex #HarmReduction #OverseasSexualHealth #HealthInequalities #healthpractices

This article was developed in accordance with the Charter of the use of artificial intelligence of Health Practices. Click on the image