The price of prescription drugs changes as of July 1. Those that cost less than 30 francs will be more expensive, and those that cost more than 30 francs less expensive. Open access medicines are only marginally affected.
This change concerns the part relating to the distribution of medicines. This pays for the logistical services of pharmacies, hospitals, certain EMS or doctors who distribute medicines. It helps cover part of salaries, infrastructure and transport costs.
Until now, this share made expensive drugs more profitable. Which did not encourage giving generics. The Federal Council has decided to put original medicines and generics on an equal footing.
Concretely, the price of original drugs will decrease, and that of generics will increase. However, these will remain less expensive than the original preparations. Overall, this measure should allow savings of 60 million francs per year.
Priority to generics
For Curafutura, the Federation of Swiss Doctors (FMH), the umbrella organization of H+ hospitals and the pharmacists’ association PharmaSuisse, “this adaptation corrects the current bad incentive according to which pharmacists, doctors and outpatient hospital services earn more on the original medicine. Priority is therefore finally given to the equivalent, but less expensive, generic drug.
For the four umbrella organizations, the new system opens the way to increased use of generic medicines at the collective level. In the longer term, additional savings of several hundred million francs are possible. This will benefit “patients and premium payers.” Even if those who already use generics will see their bill increase, deplores the Swiss Patients’ Federation, through the president of the French-speaking section, Senator Baptiste Hurni (PS/NE).
Missed opportunity
For its part, the second umbrella of insurers, Santésuisse, regrets that the Federal Council missed an opportunity to “finally significantly reduce distribution margins in the medicines trade and thus significantly relieve basic insurance” .
In the future, inexpensive medicines, often paid for directly by consumers, will cost significantly more. Dafalgan should see its public price jump by 70%.
Santésuisse also points out that the prices of generic medicines are far too high compared to abroad. For its director Verena Nold, savings of 370 million francs are possible immediately and without loss of quality by lowering prices to the average level of reference countries (55%).
PharmaSuisse, for its part, points out that these medicines are delivered without a prescription and are not affected by the reform.
This article was automatically published. Source: ats
