Find out more now
Save twice with Zur Rose
At the Zur Rose mail-order pharmacy Sympany policyholders receive a 10% discount on generics as well as a host of other benefits.
Generics and biosimilars in Switzerland
Effective medicines, but cheaper
With generics and biosimilars, you receive medicines in Switzerland that have the same effect as the branded preparation, but are often much cheaper. This page will tell you:
- what generics and biosimilars are and how they are authorised in Switzerland,
- how much you could save with generics and biosimilars and why you pay a lower retention fee,
- how to find cheaper alternatives for your medicine.
Table of Contents
How much do you save with generics?
General questions on generics and biosimilars in Switzerland
What are generics? – As effective as the original
Generics are medicinal products containing the same active ingredient in the same dosage as an already authorised branded medicine. In Switzerland, generics are tested and authorised by Swissmedic. They must meet the same quality, safety and efficacy requirements as the branded preparation.
Differences from the original may include:
- a different product name and different packaging,
- a different manufacturer,
- in some cases, different excipients (e.g. fillers, colourings or binders),
- usually a significantly lower price.
The key factor in terms of effect is that the active ingredient and its dosage are identical. This is why generics are generally considered to be as effective as branded medicines.
How much do you save with generics?
In Switzerland, on average generics are 20 to 70% cheaper than the corresponding branded preparations. Biosimilars are also generally significantly cheaper than the corresponding branded biologics. This has a direct impact on your healthcare costs:
- Lower medicine costs – particularly relevant for long-term medication (e.g. blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes).
- Less strain on your wallet – you pay less for the retention fee and benefit from lower overall costs.
- Easing the burden on the healthcare system – lower medicine costs help to curb premium increases.
Tip: At your doctor’s appointment or in the pharmacy, ask: “Is there a cheaper generic for this medicine?”
General questions on generics and biosimilars in Switzerland
Generics and biosimilars are primarily cheaper than original medicines for two reasons:
- Expired patent protection: The development of new drugs must be worthwhile. Manufacturers invest a lot of money in research, development, clinical trials and marketing. Patent protection for the original preparation allows manufacturers to recoup the high costs. After expiry, other manufacturers may also sell the drug as a generic/biosimilar under a different name but with the same composition, thus eliminating research and development costs.
- Lower retention fee: The statutory retention fee for generics/biosimilars covered by statutory health insurance is 10% – but 40% for originals covered by statutory health insurance that are also available as generics/biosimilars.
Generics and biosimilars are sold less frequently in Switzerland than abroad. By increasing the retention fee, the federal government wants to promote the purchase of cheaper medicines and thus reduce expenditure on medicines under basic insurance.
Yes, the retention fee is not always higher for originals and lower for generics. There is a price limit for each medication. The higher retention fee applies to medicines that are too expensive compared with others that have the same composition.
- There are branded preparations that are priced below the relevant threshold and are therefore only subject to the standard retention fee of 10%.
- However, there are also generics and biosimilars that are priced above the threshold and are therefore subject to the higher retention fee of 40%.
Medications differ in name, packaging and price. In the case of generics, the name often consists of a part or an abbreviation of the active ingredient (e.g. ASA for acetylsalicylic acid or ibu- or -fen for ibuprofen) plus the name of the manufacturer. The branded medicines in these cases are called Aspirin® and Brufen®. The packaging usually has a slightly less complex design, which also reflects the lower price.
Biosimilars are follow-on preparations to original medicines produced using biotechnology (biologics). They are very similar to their reference medicinal product, but are never 100% identical due to the complex manufacturing process.
In Switzerland, biosimilars are authorised by Swissmedic and must show that they have comparable efficacy and safety to the original. They are usually much cheaper.
Yes. Very strict requirements apply in order for biosimilars to be authorised in Switzerland.
Extensive clinical data must be presented demonstrating efficacy, safety and quality in comparison with the reference medicine.
There is particularly careful post-authorisation monitoring (pharmacovigilance) for biosimilars in order to ensure long-term safety.
Generics
- contain the same chemically produced active ingredient as the branded preparation
- are identical in terms of active ingredient and dosage
- are authorised by Swissmedic and must demonstrate the same quality, safety and efficacy as the original
Biosimilars
- are follow-on preparations to biological medicinal products (produced using biotechnology)
- the active ingredients are complex proteins that can never be reproduced 100% identically
- biosimilars must submit extensive studies to show that they have comparable efficacy and safety to the reference biologic in Switzerland
- are also tested and authorised by Swissmedic
Things generics and biosimilars have in common:
- They are only authorised once the patent protection of the branded preparation has expired.
- They usually offer significant cost advantages compared to the original.
- They help to reduce healthcare costs and curb premium growth in Switzerland.
- Your doctor or pharmacy is obliged to inform you as soon as a generic is included in the list of pharmaceutical specialities.
- Use the generics search. This will help you quickly find out whether there is a cheaper alternative to your medication. To the generics search ›
Questions about obtaining generic medicines
Generics and biosimilars are primarily cheaper than original medicines for two reasons:
- Expired patent protection: The development of new drugs must be worthwhile. Manufacturers invest a lot of money in research, development, clinical trials and marketing. Patent protection for the original preparation allows manufacturers to recoup the high costs. After expiry, other manufacturers may also sell the drug as a generic/biosimilar under a different name but with the same composition, thus eliminating research and development costs.
- Lower retention fee: The statutory retention fee for generics/biosimilars covered by statutory health insurance is 10% – but 40% for originals covered by statutory health insurance that are also available as generics/biosimilars.
Generics and biosimilars are sold less frequently in Switzerland than abroad. By increasing the retention fee, the federal government wants to promote the purchase of cheaper medicines and thus reduce expenditure on medicines under basic insurance.
Yes, the retention fee is not always higher for originals and lower for generics. There is a price limit for each medication. The higher retention fee applies to medicines that are too expensive compared with others that have the same composition.
- There are branded preparations that are priced below the relevant threshold and are therefore only subject to the standard retention fee of 10%.
- However, there are also generics and biosimilars that are priced above the threshold and are therefore subject to the higher retention fee of 40%.
Medications differ in name, packaging and price. In the case of generics, the name often consists of a part or an abbreviation of the active ingredient (e.g. ASA for acetylsalicylic acid or ibu- or -fen for ibuprofen) plus the name of the manufacturer. The branded medicines in these cases are called Aspirin® and Brufen®. The packaging usually has a slightly less complex design, which also reflects the lower price.
Biosimilars are follow-on preparations to original medicines produced using biotechnology (biologics). They are very similar to their reference medicinal product, but are never 100% identical due to the complex manufacturing process.
In Switzerland, biosimilars are authorised by Swissmedic and must show that they have comparable efficacy and safety to the original. They are usually much cheaper.
Yes. Very strict requirements apply in order for biosimilars to be authorised in Switzerland.
Extensive clinical data must be presented demonstrating efficacy, safety and quality in comparison with the reference medicine.
There is particularly careful post-authorisation monitoring (pharmacovigilance) for biosimilars in order to ensure long-term safety.
Generics
- contain the same chemically produced active ingredient as the branded preparation
- are identical in terms of active ingredient and dosage
- are authorised by Swissmedic and must demonstrate the same quality, safety and efficacy as the original
Biosimilars
- are follow-on preparations to biological medicinal products (produced using biotechnology)
- the active ingredients are complex proteins that can never be reproduced 100% identically
- biosimilars must submit extensive studies to show that they have comparable efficacy and safety to the reference biologic in Switzerland
- are also tested and authorised by Swissmedic
Things generics and biosimilars have in common:
- They are only authorised once the patent protection of the branded preparation has expired.
- They usually offer significant cost advantages compared to the original.
- They help to reduce healthcare costs and curb premium growth in Switzerland.
- Your doctor or pharmacy is obliged to inform you as soon as a generic is included in the list of pharmaceutical specialities.
- Use the generics search. This will help you quickly find out whether there is a cheaper alternative to your medication. To the generics search ›
Generics and Sympany: how to reduce your healthcare costs
Sympany helps you keep your healthcare costs under control – without sacrificing effective treatment. With generics, you benefit from:
- lower medication costs – especially for long-term treatment
- a potentially lower retention fee compared with more expensive branded preparations
- contributing to the stabilisation of premiums in Switzerland
Combine the use of generics with a suitable basic insurance model or supplementary insurance from Sympany to optimise your healthcare costs even more purposefully.
Check for generics now and save
Would you like to know if there is a cheaper alternative for your medicine? Use the Generics search and check for possible savings.
