According to a study ordered and undertaken by Santesuisse and presented Wednesday in Zurich, it would be possible to reduce the prices of the drugs most sold from 15% to 25%.

For Santesuisse, such an action would generate a fall of costs of about CHF 600 million per annum. The study compared the prices of the 100 drugs most sold in Switzerland with those practised in the close countries. It revealed that the prices of factory are lower by 34 % in Austria, 30 % in Italy, 27 % in France, 26 % in Belgium and 15 % in Germany. With regard to the public prices, the variations oscillate between 18 % and 38 %.

Santesuisse concluded that the price of the drugs whose patent fell must drop by 25 % at least. For the products still under patent, a reduction of about 15 % would be suitable.

600 million

On the whole, it would be possible to save CHF 600 million per annum. Transposed on the mean level of health insurance premium, that would currently correspond to a reduction of the premiums of about 3 %., the drugs represent approximately a quarter of the expenditure of health of ensured in Switzerland.

See the official statement by Santesuisse (french/german)