The drug authorization process is shifting towards a policy aimed at shortening time-to-market. While this policy facilitates early access to new treatments, it can also result in potentially insufficient knowledge of both efficacy and safety at the time of marketing. The latter is particularly true for long-term outcomes or in specific populations (e.g., children and the elderly). Yet, French pharmacoepidemiology is currently not designed to address these challenges, despite recognized expertise. In this context, we aim: (i) to define a strategy for strengthening pharmacoepidemiology in France; and (ii) to identify the associated human, technical, and financial requirements to ensure its success. In this paper, we present the French Pharmacoepidemiology Initiative (https://frenchpharmacoepi.org/), i.e. a network of independent academic teams to complement existing institutions. It will provide coordinated expertise and a workforce to meet national and regional needs for pharmacoepidemiological monitoring and drug-related decision-making. Leveraging the existing expertise of university hospital pharmacoepidemiology units would enable rapid operational deployment to inform the decisions and policies of national regulatory agencies.