More people switching to generic medicine in Switzerland

Measures to encourage more people in Switzerland to use generic medicine in place of brand name originals appear to be working. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Anyone who wants an original brand medication today in Switzerland, even though a generic version is available, pays 40% more from their own pocket. The aim of this measure is to strengthen personal responsibility in order to curb rising healthcare costs. And the measure is working, says Urs Kilchenmann, spokesman for the Helsana health insurance company. Since the regulation revision came into force, the proportion of generics being purchased has increased – this is shown by Helsana’s data. “This is definitely a step in the right direction.” The current and concrete Helsana figures show that by July 2024, 25% of chronically ill people had already switched to a generic drug. In the previous year, the figure was only 12%. The fact that healthcare costs can be saved if patients purchase cheaper ...