7 façons dont l’industrie pharmaceutique suisse garantit des soins de santé abordables
Faced with rising healthcare costs, Switzerland is relying on innovative strategies to maintain access to care. Discover how its pharmaceutical industry is meeting this challenge through concrete measures and targeted collaborations.
1. Active promotion of generic and biosimilar medicines
Generics represent a cost-effective alternative to brand-name drugs, offering the same effectiveness but lower costs. In 2023, their use was expected to save the healthcare system CHF 680 million. An additional potential of CHF 236 million exists if off-patent originals are systematically replaced.
Table: Impact of generics in Switzerland
| Appearance | Key data |
| Annual savings (2023) | 680 million CHF |
| Market share (2023) | 40% of prescriptions |
| Average price vs original | Up to -70% |
Biosimilars, competing versions of biological drugs, complement this approach. The Federal Council adjusted reimbursement rules in 2024 to encourage their adoption, aiming for annual savings of CHF 250 million.
2. Strict price controls by the FOPH
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reviews the prices of 2,700 medications every three years. Between 2017 and 2023, these controls resulted in an average price reduction of 14%, generating annual savings of CHF 1.5 billion.
Table: Price control mechanisms
| Method | Result |
| Triennial review | -14% on 2,700 medicines |
| Alignment with European prices | Savings of 400 million/year |
| Incentives for generics | 90% vs 80% Reimbursement |
3. Cross-border collaborations for economic processing
Since 2006, Switzerland has been experimenting with sending patients to neighboring countries such as Germany for inpatient treatment, which is up to 30% cheaper. In 2024, this scheme was extended to the cantons of Zurich and Geneva.
Table: Advantages of treatment abroad
| Type of care | Average economy |
| Heart surgery | -25% |
| Orthopedic implants | -30% |
4. Innovative payment models
Faced with expensive therapies (e.g., Zolgensma at CHF 1.9 million ), start-ups like Lyfegen are developing “pay-for-performance” agreements: insurers only pay if the treatment works . Roche also uses the SmartMIP platform to simplify reimbursements .
Table: Examples of innovative models
| Model | Profit |
| Pay-for-performance | 20% reduction in initial costs |
| Annual packages | Predictable budget for hospitals |
5. Optimization of the distribution chain
By 2024, the distribution margin reform had reduced costs for 64% of medicines, with estimated savings of CHF 60 million per year. The distribution share of the final price fell from 27.5% to 22%.
6. Targeted investments in R&D
With CHF 5.2 billion invested in R&D in 2022, Switzerland is focusing on effective long-term treatments. Gene therapies and immunotherapies reduce hospitalizations, saving CHF 1.2 billion annually in secondary care.
7. Public-private partnerships for equitable access
The round table for cost control (2025) brings together the FOPH, insurers and laboratories.
Objective : CHF 300 million in savings via:
- Harmonization of care protocols.
- The elimination of drugs with low therapeutic value.
Conclusion: A balance between innovation and accessibility
Thanks to these measures, Switzerland maintains its healthcare system among the most efficient in the world, despite an annual budget of CHF 9,924 per capita. The pharmaceutical industry actively contributes to this, proving that innovation and cost control are compatible.
