During the Covid-19 pandemic, the federal authorities adopted a safety-oriented vaccine strategy. Accordingly, they procured vaccines from various manufacturers at an early stage, thus ensuring rapid access to effective vaccines for the Swiss population.
For the federal authorities, during the Covid-19 pandemic, it was important to be able – through the vaccine procurement programme – to supply the population with the latest and best available vaccines. To mitigate the risk of supply failures, vaccines were procured from a number of different manufacturers. All vaccines whose use was recommended by the federal authorities were approved by Swissmedic. As a precautionary measure, the strategy involved the procurement of large volumes of vaccines. The volumes were designed to ensure that the entire population could receive the latest vaccines at any time.
This objective was achieved: in their review, the parliamentary Control Committees concluded that Switzerland had been in a position to ensure supplies of the best and latest vaccines available on the market for the Swiss population (cf. 2023 Annual Report of the CC, available in German / French / Italian).
Publication of procurement contracts for Covid-19 vaccines
In 2022, the contracts concluded on behalf of the Federal Council with the vaccine manufacturers Moderna, Novavax, Pfizer, Janssen, AstraZeneca and CureVac were published by the FOPH; at that time, however, some information was redacted on the basis of exceptions specified in the Freedom of Information Act. This was done, in particular, because such procurement contracts are widely considered to be confidential at the international level. The redactions were also undertaken so as to protect the business and trade secrets asserted by the vaccine manufacturers.
Following appeals against the publication of the contracts with Moderna and Novavax in redacted form, the Federal Administrative Court ruled on 10 February 2026 that these contracts must be disclosed in unredacted form. A legal ruling concerning disclosure of the content of the contracts is thus now available, which is important in view of the presumption of confidentiality at the international level and the business and trade secrets asserted by the manufacturers. The Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA)/FOPH have therefore decided not to appeal to the Federal Supreme Court. These rulings became legally effective at the beginning of April 2026. The contracts in question are therefore to be fully disclosed.
Volumes and costs
At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a huge demand for vaccines worldwide. Given the threats posed by the pandemic at that time and the extensive social and economic restrictions, numerous countries were seeking to procure vaccines. There was fierce competition for the limited numbers of vaccine doses available. It was thus important and in the interests of the Swiss population to obtain firm assurances from the manufacturers concerning contractually agreed volumes, and to provide appropriate payments. Otherwise, Switzerland would have lost out.
The terms agreed in the vaccine contracts, after lengthy negotiations, were determined by various factors – for example, how soon contractual obligations arose and how rapidly a vaccine would then have to be supplied.
Moderna
In the case of Moderna, the federal authorities were able to reserve the first 4.5 million vaccine doses at an early stage – in August 2020. By the end of the pandemic, the total volume was 31 million mRNA vaccines for around USD 32 per dose. The federal authorities thus assumed a financial commitment of around USD 980 million. In the course of the pandemic, mRNA vaccines were by far the most frequently administered type of vaccine in Switzerland, making a correspondingly important contribution to the management of the pandemic.
Novavax
In the case of Novavax, a million doses of protein-based vaccine were reserved, at USD 22 per dose, in December 2021. The federal authorities thus assumed a financial commitment of around USD 20 million.
Vaccine supplies and liability
In a pandemic, under the current Epidemics Act, the federal authorities, since 2006, have had a responsibility to ensure supplies of important medicines, if this cannot be assured through the usual private distribution channels. In view of the particular circumstances of a pandemic, the federal authorities may assume certain of the manufacturers’ risks during a special or extraordinary situation – for example, by reimbursing liability payments, should the need arise (so-called indemnity). However, manufacturers generally remain responsible under the normal Swiss liability regulations, such as the Product Liability Act, applicable for example in cases of manufacturing defects.
As the Swiss authorities recommended only authorised vaccines for use in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic, the liability risk was reduced. To date, no related liability claims have been submitted to the federal government.
At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a huge demand for vaccines worldwide. In this situation involving competition between numerous countries, it was important for the federal authorities to reserve high-quality vaccines for the Swiss population as soon as possible, and to obtain commitments for vaccines to be supplied at an early stage.
For this reason, the federal authorities had, in particular, to provide manufacturers with, in some cases, extensive assurances of indemnity. This is due to the fact that any products required for an emergency such as an epidemic need to be developed very rapidly. Indemnity was, however, restricted: in Swiss law, there can be no complete exemption from liability. Manufacturers generally remain responsible under the normal Swiss liability regulations, such as the Product Liability Act, for example in cases of manufacturing defects. A manufacturer also remains liable in cases of unlawful intent or gross negligence.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, it was also clear for the federal authorities that only vaccines approved by Swissmedic could be recommended for broad use among the Swiss public.
The instrument of “indemnity” for manufacturers is commonly used internationally in pandemics: countries exempt manufacturers wholly or partly from liability claims for possible vaccine-related injuries, or offer them indemnity, while manufacturers in return undertake to develop and make vaccines available as rapidly as possible. This makes it possible to retain the capacity for action in emergencies and to provide the public with the necessary vaccines as quickly as possible. It represents a balancing of the interests involved – security of supplies and liability claims.
FAQ on the contracts for Covid-19 vaccines
Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Covid-19 vaccine contracts that have been published.
Before a vaccine can be used it must, as a matter of principle, be authorised. In Switzerland, this is the responsibility of Swissmedic, the independent agency for the authorisation and supervision of therapeutic products. The requirements are strict: authorisation is only granted if the vaccine is demonstrably safe, effective and of high quality. These requirements must always be met, and they also applied during the coronavirus pandemic.
The federal government only used vaccines that had Swissmedic approval. The AstraZeneca vaccine, for example, was not one of them. Unlike in the EU, it was not approved here. The vaccines from Moderna and Novavax, the procurement contracts for which have now been published, underwent Swissmedic’s rigorous testing process, met the requirements and thus received approval.
In view of the special circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic, the federal government assumed certain risks on behalf of the manufacturers and, for example, undertook to reimburse them for any liability payments they might have to make to injured parties should such a situation arise (“indemnification”). However, as the federal government used only Swissmedic-approved vaccines from the outset, this risk was significantly reduced. To date, the federal government has not received any claims in this regard.The manufacturers also remain liable under Switzerland’s liability rules, such as the Product Liability Act, which applies, for example, in cases of manufacturing defects.
This had to do with the fact that in a crisis situation such as a pandemic, it is important for manufacturers to develop effective and safe vaccines quickly. At the same time, there was enormous demand for vaccines. Owing to the situation at the time and the many social and economic restrictions that applied, most countries committed to procuring vaccines. Consequently, there was fierce competition for the few available doses.
It was therefore important and in the interests of the Swiss population to secure firm commitments from manufacturers for the contractually agreed quantities at an early stage. This influenced the contractual terms. Otherwise, Switzerland would not have had a chance.
The contractual terms depended on other factors – for example, how early a vaccine could be contractually secured, how quickly and reliably it could be delivered, or how large the market was.
The federal government used only vaccines that had Swissmedic approval and had been tested accordingly by Swissmedic for safety and efficacy.
The federal government pursued a strategy focused on safety. To this end, it procured vaccines from different manufacturers at an early stage, and in sufficient quantities. The idea was that the entire population could be vaccinated multiple times at any point. All vaccines had to have Swissmedic approval and, accordingly, meet the strict requirements for efficacy and safety.
This approach proved successful. The parliamentary oversight body (the Control Committees or CC) noted in its audit report that Switzerland had been able to ensure the Swiss population was supplied with the best and most up-to-date vaccines available on the market (see 2023 annual report of the CC, available in German / French / Italian).
A distinction must be made between liability payments and other forms of compensation:
Liability payments: In principle, manufacturers remain liable to injured parties under normal Swiss liability rules. However, in view of the special circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic, the federal government assumed certain risks on behalf of the manufacturers and, for example, undertook to reimburse them for any liability payments made to injured parties (“indemnification”). However, as the federal government only used vaccines authorised by Swissmedic from the outset, this risk was significantly reduced. To date, the federal government has not received any claims in this regard.
Compensation or damages for pain and suffering: In the event of proven serious side effects, the state may award compensation or damages for pain and suffering via the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), provided no other liability applies. By early 2026, the FDHA had received 408 applications for payment following vaccine injuries linked to the pandemic. Of these, 300 were rejected following an initial formal review. Two claims have been approved and two denied. The remaining claims are still pending.
Under the “access to one, access to all” principle, once access to an official document has been granted under the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA), it must also be granted to (at least) the same extent in the event of any subsequent request for access to that document.
By publishing on the FOPH website the documents affected by the Federal Administrative Court rulings of 10 February 2026, the FOPH has made these documents generally accessible.
The procurement contracts with the other manufacturers cannot be proactively disclosed by the FOPH in view of the contractual confidentiality agreements and because of the rights of the contracting parties (i.e. the manufacturers) to be heard and to lodge complaints.
The prices of individual vaccine doses were the result of confidential negotiations with the respective manufacturers – in Switzerland and also in EU countries. The relevant contracts have not yet been published, so the contractual prices are not yet known.
The federal government contracts, however, contained so-called most favoured nation clauses, so it can be assumed that the prices for Switzerland are in a similar range to those in other European countries.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government procured vaccines from different manufacturers at an early stage to protect the public. It was therefore able to secure rapid access to effective COVID-19 vaccines for people in Switzerland.
Minutes of the FOPH’s Covid-19 task force
You can now view the minutes of meetings of the FOPH’s Covid-19 task force.
