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HEALTH

Coronavirus: Is a lockdown extension inevitable in Switzerland?

Will Switzerland’s coronavirus measures be extended beyond February 28th?

Published: 12 February 2021 16:02 CET
Coronavirus: Is a lockdown extension inevitable in Switzerland?
Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Switzerland’s coronavirus measures are in place until at least February 28th. 

On Monday, Swiss media reported Health Minister Alain Berset indicated not only would the lockdown be extended, but that a range of tighter measures were being considered. 

READ MORE: Switzerland likely to tighten coronavirus measures to 'save summer': reports 

This is despite infection rates falling across much of the country. 

On Friday however, Berset indicated however that the Federal Council hadn’t ruled out a relaxation of at least some of the existing measures. 

Speaking with French-language newspaper Le Nouvelliste, Berset said an easing of measures was likely. 

“The Federal Council is likely to announce easing, because you have to be able to live.”

“The Federal Council will draw up the measures next week. Then there will be a consultation with the cantons,” he said. 

Berset said that not all measures would be relaxed – and declined to say which ones were likely to be eased. 

“We have to be careful. The Federal Council understands the frustration in the population. The Federal Council would also like to see easing, that's clear.”

He did however appeal to the population to stick to the rules in order to bring about an end to the lockdown sooner. 

“If we want to prevent the situation from deteriorating, every last person must play along and adhere to the restrictions.”

‘No Covid group’

Motivated by the approaches taken in island countries such as Australia, Japan, Taiwan and New Zealand, Switzerland’s No Covid group is pushing for a tighter set of rules. 

According to Switzerland’s NZZ newspaper, the strategy is based on “rigorous containment and rigorous testing”. 

Under the plan, lockdowns are to be applied regionally – whether that be in municipalities, cities or cantons – and would only be lifted where the infection rate is 10 new infections over 14 days per 100,000 residents. 

Currently, Switzerland’s infection rate is just over 250 new infections per 100,000 residents over the past 14 days – with not one canton having a lower rate than that suggested by the No Covid group. 

The idea has been criticised, primarily from those who point out that Switzerland’s geography and integration with border areas makes it far more difficult to isolate regions than in the aforementioned island nations. 

 

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HEALTH

Can you avoid high costs of medication in Switzerland by getting drugs abroad?

Most drugs, including generics, are quite a bit cheaper in other countries. But can you have your Swiss prescription filled abroad and bring the meds back?

Published: 3 June 2024 11:30 CEST
Can you avoid high costs of medication in Switzerland by getting drugs abroad?

Not only are medicines more expensive in Switzerland than in many European countries, but their price continues to climb.

For original meds whose patents have expired, Swiss consumers now pay 14.3 percent more than patients abroad.

A year ago, the price difference was 10.8 percent, according to the health insurance association Santésuisse and the group for research-based pharmaceutical companies Interpharma . 

As has been the case for years, the price differences are particularly significant not only for brand drugs, but also for generics and biosimilars.

In a comparison with Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Sweden, the price of generics in Switzerland is 45.3 percent higher, while bio-similars cost nearly 30 percent more.

How is the price of drugs determined in Switzerland?

“The price of medicines covered by statutory basic medical insurance is not set on the open market but through complex state interventions,” according to Interpharma.

The prices of drugs that are reimbursed by the basic insurance are controlled by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).

In order to determine the price of a medicinal product, the FOPH first considers the cost of therapy with products authorised to treat the same disease.

It then compares the prices of the same products in other countries with a pharmaceutical industry that is economically comparable to that of Switzerland’s.

The final price of drugs reflects Switzerland’s high-cost economy in general: research and development are more expensive in Switzerland than elsewhere, and production costs are higher as well.

Increasing healthcare premiums are an important factor as well.

And prices are set to increase even further. 

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. 

How much cheaper are medicines in neighbour countries?

Swiss-German news platform 20 Minuten compared the prices of some common drugs in Switzerland and Germany. 

For instance, painkiller Ibuprofen (400 milligrams, 20 tablets), costs €3.45 in Germany and 5.90 francs in Switzerland — a surcharge of 71 percent. 

A box of pantoprazole (a popular drug used to treat gastric reflux) is 12.95 francs in Switzerland compared to around 2.62 euros in Germany – a markup of 394 percent.

Similar price disparities also exist between Swiss drugs and those sold in France and Italy.

Can you import medicines to Switzerland to save money?

According to Switzerland’s drug regulatory agency, Swissmedic, people “may import a month’s supply of medicines into Switzerland for their own use but not for third parties”.

This rule is for both residents and tourists.

This means that you are only allowed to bring medications you will use yourself, and not sell them to others.

What about prescription medications?

While doctor’s orders issued within the European Union are valid throughout the EU, Switzerland is not covered by the agreement on recognition of cross-border prescriptions.

Therefore, pharmacists in neighbour countries — or elsewhere within the EU, for that matter — are not obliged to accept prescriptions from Switzerland.

You will have better luck in the UK, however,

From January 1st, 2021, a prescription issued in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein Norway or Switzerland can be dispensed in the UK if the prescriber is from a medical profession recognised in Britain.

Keep in mind, however, that names of drugs may be different there, so your doctor should write out the prescription accordingly.

Yes, but will your Swiss health insurance pay for the medicines you purchased abroad?

According to FOPH, “the costs will only be reimbursed for medicines that you require because of illness during a temporary stay abroad.”
 
If, on the other hand, you bring in meds for use while in Switzerland, then you must pay for them out of your own pocket.

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