The prices of patent-protected medicines are in line with European countries. When adjusted for purchasing power, they are even considerably cheaper on average – around 20% less than in comparable countries. Generic drugs, on the other hand, are around twice as expensive in Switzerland as abroad.

Access to new, innovative medicines has been declining in Switzerland for years. It takes an average of 219 days from market approval to admission to the SL, which is more than three times longer than the statutory deadline of 60 days. Compared to Germany, patients in Switzerland only have access to around half of all new, innovative medicines through basic insurance.

Since 2010, the percentage of healthcare costs spent on medicines has remained stable. In compulsory health insurance, they account for just 21.8% of costs – patent-protected medicines are even lower at 8.3%. Although the demand for medicines is increasing due to the aging population, annual price reviews dampen rising medicine costs with recurring annual savings of over CHF 1 billion.

Swissmedic is responsible for the authorization and supervision of medicinal products in Switzerland and assesses applications for approval of new medicines with regard to safety, efficacy and quality. It also grants licenses for clinical trials, as well as for production and distribution in Switzerland, and is responsible for monitoring the market. It therefore plays a major role in ensuring patient safety in Switzerland.

Low-risk, non-invasive tests are conducted on humans. One example of this is clinical trials in which new medicines are gradually tested for safety and efficacy in accordance with strict ethical requirements. However, before such studies can begin, potential effects and risks must be investigated in preclinical research, as completely untested substances would pose significant risks in humans. Historical cases of involuntary human testing and serious incidents have led to the development of mandatory safeguards. Where alternative methods (e.g. cell cultures, organoids or artificial intelligence) cannot adequately depict complex processes in the entire organism, animal testing is still necessary.

In Switzerland, animal testing is only permitted if a detailed application has been submitted and approved by the cantonal authority. The specific research project as well as the persons involved, the conditions in which the animals are kept and the way the experiments are conducted must all meet the legal requirements. Authorization may only be granted if there is no scientifically recognized alternative, the research offers significant scientific value or benefit and if the harm to the animals is reduced to the absolute minimum. In the case of harmful animal experiments, an animal testing committee carries out a “balancing of interests” as part of the cantonal approval process and assesses whether the expected gain in knowledge justifies the harm to the animals (such as pain, anxiety, violation of dignity). Switzerland has one of the strictest animal welfare laws in the world.

The pharmaceutical industry is Switzerland’s most important export sector and a key pillar of Switzerland’s position as a research and business hub. It secures around 300,000 jobs, contributes almost 10% of GDP and makes a significant contribution to innovation and prosperity. Interpharma’s member companies also invest around 9 billion Swiss francs annually in research and development in Switzerland, pay 10 billion Swiss francs in taxes and contribute significantly to the development of new medicines and therapies.

The development of new medicines takes an average of 12 years, costs billions and carries significant risks. The protection of intellectual property creates the necessary planning security and provides incentives for companies to invest in research and development on a long-term basis. Patent protection is therefore a key prerequisite for researching and developing new therapies and making them accessible to patients.