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Switzerland’s r-rate climbs above 1 for first time in two months

Switzerland’s R-Rate climbed above 1 for the first time in two months on Wednesday.

Published: 3 February 2021 17:02 CET

Switzerland’s r-rate climbs above 1 for first time in two months

Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset walks past Swiss parliament in Bern. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

The R-Rate is a crucial metric which illustrates how the virus is spreading through the community.

EXPLAINED: What are the details of Switzerland's coronavirus restrictions?

The news comes as a surprise, particularly considering case numbers have been falling in Switzerland.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Patrick Mathys from the Federal Office of Public Health said the reason was a delay in the way the R-Rate is recorded.

“The R value relates to a situation from 10 days ago. The same goes for the reported cases every day,” he said.

“That means: For the next few days we should expect a stabilisation or even a slight increase in the number of cases.”

No new measures – but no relaxations either

Health Minister Alain Berset did however say that despite the increase, the government had not planned any further measures to be implemented in the coming weeks.

“We don't want to get into a situation where we no longer have an alternative. We still have these alternatives (of tougher measures) today,” he said.

“We have gotten used to different things. Wearing masks (for instance) is no longer a problem for the population. This time we will relax the measures differently than last time.”

“We don't know how it will develop. We only know that the situation is more difficult than it was in December, when we decided on the measures.

“At that time we had no knowledge of the mutations. If the mutation case numbers continue to double every week, then we have to see what we do.”

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Which medications in Switzerland are set to become more expensive?

Swiss consumers pay significantly more for their medicines than those in neighbouring European countries.

This is what emerges from various data published over the years.

“In Switzerland, we pay far too much for medicines compared to abroad,” Matthias Müller, a spokesperson for SantéSuisse, an umbrella group for Swiss health insurance providers, told Swiss media in 2023.

Even the price of many generic medicines is twice as high in Switzerland as in nine EU countries.

For instance, generics are on average 48 percent cheaper in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden than in Switzerland, according to a price comparison.

And prices for a number of commonly-used drugs will rise even further in the near future.

Why is that?

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) is adapting a new model for calculating the distribution margin.

A distribution margin is the difference between the distributor’s cost of acquiring goods and the price at which those goods are sold.

From July 1st, 2024, inexpensive medicines whose factory price is less than, or equal to, 15 francs will become more expensive.

This change will affect more than half of medications currently being sold in Switzerland.

As a result of this move, “additional costs of several hundred million will be passed on to patients,” according to Intergenrika, which represents generic drug manufacturers in Switzerland.

In a nutshell, consumers will pay slightly lower prices for medicines that were previously more expensive, but will also end up paying more for those that are currently cheaper – like generics.

Which meds will become more expensive?

Pain medications are among those set to become pricier.

One of them is ibuprofen, a popular anti-inflammatory.

While a box of 20 400-mg tablets today costs 5.92 francs, its price will practically double to 11 francs from July 1st.

Though its manufacturing cost will remain the same as today – 1.58 francs – the distribution margin will increase from 4.19 to 9.09 francs.

The same goes for another often-used pain medication, Ponstan.

Ten 500-mg tablets will cost 11.21 francs instead of 6.19 currently.

The manufacturer will continue to charge 1.82 francs for the drug, but the distribution margin will increase from 4.22 to 9.11 francs.

And even generic drugs, which are cheaper – and often by much – will get pricier, at consumers’ expense.

Will some drugs be cheaper?

Yes, some will become slightly less expensive.

One example is the anticoagulant Rivaroxaban whose price will drop from 281 to 267 francs.

READ ALSO: Why you will pay more for certain drugs in Switzerland 2024?

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