Overview and positions on selected healthcare reforms

Cost containment packages

For some time now, Parliament has been discussing various measures to curb costs in the healthcare system. These proposals are based on a report by a group of experts on cost-containment measures to relieve the burden on compulsory health insurance (OKP). During the parliamentary debate, an initial cost-containment package was divided into two sub-packages (KP 1a and 1b).

The deliberations on sub-package 1a were concluded by the Councils in the 2021 summer session. The industry took note of the fact that, unlike the Federal Council, neither Council had provided for any compulsory obligations within the framework of the experimental article.

After lengthy deliberations, the Federal Council then passed KP 1b in the 2022 autumn session. This provides for cost monitoring in the healthcare system. Fortunately, the councils scrapped the reference price system for generic drugs, while at the same time deciding to simplify the approval process for parallel-imported medicines.

In August 2020, the consultation process for a second package of measures (KP 2) was opened and scienceindustries submitted its comments. KP 2 was passed by Parliament in the spring session of 2025. From the industry's point of view, the adopted bill is sobering: the pharmaceutical industry will once again bear the brunt of the cost-cutting measures. The pain threshold has now definitely been reached. In order to maintain the security of supply of innovative and proven medicines in Switzerland, no further cost-cutting measures at the expense of the pharmaceutical industry should be adopted and patient access must be improved.

In parallel with all these packages, the Swiss population had to vote last year on the Centre Party's initiative "for lower premiums – cost brakes in healthcare" and the Social Democratic Party's (SP) premium relief initiative. Both initiatives were clearly rejected by the people, which scienceindustries sees as confirmation of its position. This makes clear that the cost development in the healthcare system must be tackled not through rigid constitutional mandates, but through differentiated reforms that focus on efficiency, innovation and personal responsibility.

Security of supply

Drug shortages have increased worldwide, and Switzerland is no exception. In 2024, the Medicines Reporting Office at the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES) received around 250 reports of supply disruptions: a total of approximately 1,000 medicines were temporarily unavailable. There are many reasons for this, and scienceindustries has joined forces with other pharmaceutical associations to take a stand on the issue. The cross-association position paper (in German, PDF) sheds light on the background of the problem and suggests possible solutions.

In recent years, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has reduced many prices so significantly that the daily dose of individual products still costs a few pence based on the factory price, and has in some cases fallen below the manufacturing costs. It is therefore increasingly no longer worthwhile for our local industry to keep certain products on the cost-intensive Swiss market.

The pharmaceutical industry then bears the full cost of compulsory stockpiling without having the option of adjusting prices. Either the federal government contributes to the costs, or a financing mechanism is created whereby a fixed, separately reported compensation is included in the factory price (FAP), which must be maintained during price reviews. If such an adjustment is not made, the structural imbalance between the actual costs and the amounts reimbursed will increase, which in the medium to long term is likely to jeopardise the continuity of supply, especially for cheaper medicines.

Furthermore, access to new therapies has been delayed for some time. This development is increasingly calling into question the timely provision of innovations to Swiss patients, which does nothing to alleviate the general pressure on healthcare provision. Better reimbursement rules would promote early access to innovative medicines. However, a one-sided focus on prices in health policy will further worsen healthcare provision. There is an urgent need to modernise the pricing system in terms of equal application of foreign price comparisons (APV) and therapeutic cross-comparisons (TQV), transparent and comprehensible selection of comparative therapies for TQV, a pragmatic approach to evaluating product benefits, and pragmatic solutions for combination therapies. A possible solution for faster access is also offered by reimbursed access to innovation (RIZ). Time savings would then be achieved through parallel or at least better coordinated procedures for approval by Swissmedic and the FOPH through the "early access" process.

Revision of the Therapeutic Products Act

The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) is currently undergoing its third comprehensive revision. scienceindustries submitted its comments on the proposals in March 2024. Scientific advances in biomedicine have led to the development of new forms of therapy in recent years – known as advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). In Switzerland, there has been no uniform legal basis for the authorisation of ATMPs to date. Instead, the regulatory handling of a product classified as an ATMP in the European Union (EU) depends on how it is classified here. The inconsistent definitions used in this context lead to difficulties in interpretation: The authorisation of ATMPs for human use in Switzerland is therefore subject to legal uncertainty, and ATMPs in veterinary medicine cannot be authorised at all in the absence of a legal basis, unlike in the EU. scienceindustries therefore welcomes the fact that a legal basis and thus legal certainty is now to be created in this important field of innovation.

However, an initial analysis of the dispatch has also shown that a possible extension of the Information System on Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine (IS ABV) is being expanded to include other antimicrobial agents and antiparasitics. scienceindustries and its members support the federal government's efforts to combat resistance, including assisting in the development of the One Health Action Plan 2024-27 of the Swiss Antibiotic Resistance Strategy (StAR). The introduction of the IS ABV has created an effective approach to resistance monitoring, and a steady decline in antibiotic prescriptions can be observed. However, entering data into the IS ABV represents a considerable administrative burden for both veterinarians and industry. From the perspective of the veterinary profession, extending the system to other antimicrobial agents and antiparasitics does not make sense. scienceindustries will closely monitor the parliamentary process.

Catching up in digitalisation

Digitalisation offers a range of promising opportunities, particularly in the healthcare sector, including in terms of the availability of health data and in research and development, but there is a lot of catching up to do in this area, especially in Switzerland. The topic of digital transformation in healthcare is highly topical, even though the Federal Council already included a chapter on "Health and Healthcare" in its strategy for an information society in 2006, with a focus on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in healthcare ("eHealth"). scienceindustries has always supported these goals and continues to work towards their achievement.

Electronic patient record as a key dossier

A central aspect of the Federal Council's strategy was the introduction of the electronic patient record (EPR). The basic idea behind the EPR is that data can be recorded according to a uniform structure and exchanged electronically. In order to increase the benefits for all potential users, the Federal Council intends to revise the Federal Act on the Electronic Patient Record.

scienceindustries advocates an accelerated approach to digitalisation in the healthcare sector. Insofar as this goal can be achieved with the EPD, it welcomes the further development of the EPD in principle. However, progress must be faster and, above all, coordinated. Furthermore, scienceindustries advocates that participation in the EPD be a prerequisite for the licensing of service providers. Further steps must follow, in particular technology-neutral interoperability of the system, a simple and user-friendly design, and the promotion of general acceptance of digitalisation in the healthcare sector in general and of the EPD in particular among the population.

DigiSanté: promoting digital transformation in healthcare

DigiSanté is the FDHA's programme for promoting digital transformation in healthcare. It has been commissioned by the Federal Council and is being formulated by the FOPH and the FSO in an initialisation phase until the end of 2024, with implementation scheduled to be completed by the end of 2034. The Social Security and Health Committee of the National Council (SGK-N) has spoken out in favour of the comprehensive DigiSanté programme and the necessary commitment credit of just under CHF 400 million. The large-scale programme aims to improve the quality of treatment, the efficiency and transparency of the healthcare system and patient safety over a period of ten years. scienceindustries is committed to the digitalisation of the Swiss healthcare system and is involved in the DigiSanté working group as part of the "Digital Transformation in Healthcare" alliance.

Biomedical research

Biomedical research is central to Switzerland as a centre of innovation. With its Master Plan for Biomedicine, the Federal Council sought to strengthen the framework conditions for research and technology. This was initiated in 2013 to optimise the framework conditions for biomedical research and technology in Switzerland and to ensure the population's access to biomedical products.

Unfortunately, it must be noted at this point that the targets set have not yet been achieved. Digitalisation in the Swiss healthcare system is progressing too slowly and clinical research activities are declining. At the same time, continuously deteriorating framework conditions are slowing down access to innovative therapies and jeopardising the security of supply of proven medicines. As a result, there are signs of a creeping weakening of the location, such as stagnating employment figures and a drain on investment capital.

scienceindustries calls on the federal government to focus its activities in a targeted manner and with a long-term vision, and to implement savings where there is ultimately little or no benefit to the general public. In the interests of society as a whole, a forward-looking strategy will have to focus on areas with high innovation potential, such as biomedical research and technology. Sustainable investment in this sector is essential to ensure Switzerland's long-term competitiveness and to guarantee the population continued access to the latest biomedical developments.

Antibiotic resistance – How can research into new antibiotics be promoted?

Antibiotics are used in both human and veterinary medicine to combat bacterial infectious diseases. Since the early 20th century, the population has been able to rely on the effectiveness of antibiotics. They are an indispensable part of healthcare and are successful in treating bacterial infections, surgical procedures, chemotherapy and other medical procedures.

However, the effectiveness of antibiotics is increasingly threatened by the development of resistance. This growing global challenge must be tackled jointly. However, the medical success and low prices of antibiotics have led to their widespread use over a long period of time, resulting in the accelerated development of bacterial resistance. Research and development of new antibiotics can be promoted by removing regulatory barriers. In addition, new financing models must be developed, as newly developed antibiotics should be used with caution in order to counteract the rapid development of resistance. The lack of market prospects, however, does not provide an incentive for research.

scienceindustries sees a possible approach in the subscription model: the manufacturer of a new antibiotic receives a fixed annual payment, which should allow it to amortise development costs and achieve a reasonable profit. In return, it undertakes to supply the new antibiotic in the required quantities. Decoupling revenue from sales enables reserves to be held, which limits the development of resistance. A Swiss subscription model would, however, have to take international developments into account and fit in with them.