Access to medicines worsening due to US policies, warns Swiss group

Access to innovative medicines is worsening due to US policies aimed at lowering drug prices in line with those in peer countries, the Swiss pharmaceutical association warned Thursday.

Interpharma, the association of research-based pharmaceutical companies in Switzerland, said that between January 2025 and June 2026, its members had not submitted seven out of a total of 22 new innovative medicines for inclusion on the Specialities List, news outlet Swissinfo reported, citing the Keystone-SDA news agency.

A survey of member companies found that pharmaceutical manufacturers no longer believe they can launch new therapies in Switzerland on time under the current framework due to pricing issues in the US.

For Interpharma, this underscores the US administration's policy, which is exacerbating the already negative trend regarding access to innovative medicines in Switzerland.

The association believes that the planned revision of the Health Insurance Ordinance, with its "one-sided focus on costs," is likely to further reinforce this trend.

Switzerland needs a pricing system compatible with the US "most-favored-nation" regime, one that takes equal account of the supply, quality and cost of innovations, Interpharma added.