Economic Viability of New Medical Drugs in Switzerland

We are working to find economically viable prices for new medicines in Switzerland through health economics and cost-effectiveness methods.

Factsheet

Situation

Switzerland faces significant challenges in the reimbursement of new medicines. The combination of rapid technological development in pharmaceuticals, lower approval barriers, and rising prices necessitates new approaches in the price negotiation of these medicines. These approaches must be capable of supporting the negotiation of economically viable prices for new medicines in a fair, consistent, and comprehensible manner based on the available evidence.

Course of action

We are developing, in collaboration with four health insurers (Helsana, Sanitas, CSS, SWICA), a value framework, the Swiss Drug Pricing Model (SDPM), for determining the prices of new medicines in Switzerland. We analyzed the methods of existing evaluation schemes based on a systematic literature review and adapted these methods for the SDPM to meet the needs of the Swiss healthcare system. We use the SDPM to determine justified prices of medicines based on their added value. A publication of the SDPM is planned.

This project contributes to the following SDGs

  • 3: Good health and well-being