Innovation and Global Access to Essential Medicines
In many countries, people still do not have access to the medicines they need in order to ensure an acceptable state of health. Switzerland is committed to facilitate access to medicines while safeguarding the protection of intellectual property rights which are drivers for research and innovation. Switzerland is also engaged at the international level to help ensure the reliable supply of medicines to its population.
Innovation and access to medicines: a delicate balance
Access for all to high-quality, affordable medicines is a subject that is being debated intensely at international level. The debate focuses on the scope and duration of patents, and the exclusive commercial rights that are granted to the manufacturer of an active substance. This is where two realities clash.
- On one hand, the health of people in many countries is affected by limited access to what are known as “essential” medicines. In some countries this shortcoming is due to regulatory issues and to weak health systems, but also to the tariffs imposed on medicines. As a consequence, some medicines are unaffordable to many people. The mechanisms of intellectual property protection are one reason, among others, for these unaffordable prices.
- On the other hand, the process of creating a medicine is a long and expensive one, taking ten to fifteen years from the research stage through clinical trials to marketing. Intellectual property rights guarantee a certain return on investment and reinforce the commercial position of the manufacturer for a defined period of time. Conversely, the absence of intellectual property rights would reduce both the incentive to carry out research and the likelihood of discovering new medicines.
Swiss support for the improvement of access to medicines
The topics of improving access to medicines, strengthening global health research, protecting intellectual property and promoting human rights are priorities for Switzerland and stipulated as explicit goals in its Health Foreign Policy.
Based on this policy and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Switzerland has fostered and fosters, among others, a number of initiatives at international level aiming at improving access to medicines:
- an active support to the drafting process of WHO Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (improvement of R&D and access to medicines relevant to diseases disproportionately affecting populations in low and middle income countries);
- the publication at national level of a document on the implementation of this Plan of Action in Switzerland and presenting Swiss commitment in this area.
- a technical and financial support for the follow-up of the report of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination (CEWG).
Security of supply of medicines and vaccines
Bottlenecks in supplies of medicinal products (medicines and vaccines) are increasing in Switzerland and worldwide – not only in times of crisis, but also in so-called normal circumstances.
Both for medicines and for vaccines, Switzerland is dependent on the smooth functioning of global value chains. Established global value chains are vulnerable to disruption from external shocks. Important areas for action with regard to the elimination of medicine shortages and for the long-term vaccine strategy are international collaborations and the development of a functioning global network. To this end, bilateral and multilateral alliances are to be promoted, as well as Switzerland’s participation in international public private partnerships and initiatives.
Switzerland is currently engaging in targeted network-building efforts at the international level, both bilaterally and multilaterally. For example, Switzerland supports a cross-country monitoring within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Such monitoring would make it possible to obtain a detailed picture of the international supply situation for certain essential products and to anticipate potential shortages at an early stage. In addition, Switzerland has been a member of the European Critical Medicines Alliance (CMA) since the beginning of April 2025. This membership enables direct information exchange at the European level.
Further information
Further topics
Security in the supply of medicines
The supply of medicines in Switzerland can no longer be assured in all cases. The federal government is looking into additional measures and implementation proposals to assure a regular supply of medicinal products.
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Schwarzenburgstrasse 157
Switzerland - 3003 Bern