Drugmakers limit Swiss reimbursement applications over U.S. pricing concerns

Pharmaceutical companies are reducing applications for health insurance coverage in Switzerland due to concerns regarding United States drug-pricing policies. According to a survey by the Swiss industry group Interpharma, approximately one-third of new innovative medicines were not submitted for coverage under Switzerland’s mandatory health insurance system between January 2025 and June 2026.

The hesitation stems from the United States’ ‘most-favoured-nation’ drug-pricing policy, which uses international markets like Switzerland as benchmarks to lower U.S. medicine costs. Drugmakers fear that launching new therapies at lower prices in Switzerland could jeopardize their pricing structures in the U.S. market.

Interpharma reported that of 22 new innovative drugs introduced during the period, seven were not submitted for the Swiss reimbursement list, and three were not submitted for Swiss market approval at all. This trend marks a significant decrease from the previous 18-month average of 24 submissions, potentially limiting patient access to new medical treatments.