Swiss government seeks solutions to medicine shortages

Drug shortages have been rising for years but worsened during the Covid pandemic. Keystone / Christian Beutler

This spring, a group of experts plans to examine a range of measures to tackle drug shortages in Switzerland. Some of the measures up for discussion include simplifying authorisations, closer supply monitoring, and stronger international networking.

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The group of experts chaired by Bernhard Pulver, former member of the cantonal government of Bern and President of the Insel Group, has completed its work with a report. The government was informed of this in a press release on Wednesday.

Specifically, the group of experts recommends, for example, simplifying the administrative requirements for the authorisation of medicines. Another proposal concerns the possibility of authorising foreign packaging in order to remove obstacles that can lead to supply bottlenecks or market withdrawals.

The expert group also proposes monitoring medicinal products according to their therapeutic relevance, securing existing, important production capacities through incentive systems and stronger international networking. The supply of medicinal products should also be integrated into the federal government’s security policy.

The federal experts are now examining how the proposals of the expert group can be implemented and where further clarification is needed, the government wrote on Wednesday. This concerns legal and financial aspects in particular. A decision on how to proceed will be made in spring 2026.

Growing problem

Shortages of medicinal products are increasing worldwide, including in Switzerland. The government has already initiated several steps in recent months.

For example, the federal government is to monitor the supply situation centrally and actively in future. If necessary, it should also be able to take measures to prevent or remedy supply disruptions. In addition, the federal government should be able to set economic incentives, make purchases and manufacture medical goods itself or have them manufactured. Finally, international cooperation is to be strengthened in a targeted manner.

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According to the current competences, the cantons are fundamentally responsible for healthcare. Ensuring the supply of therapeutic products and medical goods is primarily the responsibility of the private sector. The federal government can only become active in the event of imminent severe shortages of vital medicines and in epidemics or pandemics to combat communicable, widespread or malignant diseases.

Translated from German by DeepL/jdp

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