This is the question that many citizens ask themselves. The majority of the Swiss population considers the differences in the price of medicines to be too high in comparison with other countries. These are the results of a representative survey by comparis.ch. Respondents assume that 53 percent of medicines reimbursable by health insurance are imported. It's actually about two-thirds. Only 29 percent of those questioned want to give up Swissmedic and adopt EU licenses.
ZURICH – Almost one in five francs of premiums is spent on medicines reimbursable by health insurance. According to a study by the Swiss Health Observatory, it is mainly drugs, together with outpatient treatments, that have led to extremely high costs. However, the population has a clear opinion: only a few Swiss people find it right that medicines in Switzerland cost more than abroad. A representative survey carried out on behalf of the internet comparison service comparis.ch led to these results. To this end, the market research institute GfK surveyed 1,200 people from all over Switzerland between the end of June and the beginning of July. Most of the interviewees are aware that medicines cost more here than abroad. 86 percent of those questioned assume that the prices of medicines are higher than in neighboring foreign countries. Only a third of these respondents believe that the price differences compared to other countries are justified, regardless of whether the medicines are imported or manufactured in Switzerland.
Underestimated price difference for generics
While the majority of respondents interpret the general drug price situation correctly, it makes it more difficult to assess how much the price difference is: one in two of those respondents who believe that drug prices in Switzerland are higher than those abroad believe that an original preparation in neighboring countries costs at least a third less than the price in Switzerland. As far as generics are concerned, one in two respondents assumes a price difference of at least 23 percent. The interviewees therefore estimate that the price difference for an imitation is lower than that for an original preparation. Based on the comparison with the prices charged abroad the reality
