“It’s a sad situation that we’ve reached,” Enea Martinelli, a hospital pharmacist and board member of the pharmacist association pharmaSuisse, told Swiss public broadcaster SRF. The biggest problem, he said, is children’s medications, especially fever-reducing syrup, as well as blood pressure medications, psychiatric medications and Parkinson’s medications. Painkillers are also a problem.
The Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES) confirmed that supply disruptions are on the rise, indicating that the number of shortages of essential medicines is likely to be higher than in 2019.
More
More
The end of affordable medicine
This content was published on
Pharma companies are close to a cure for cancer, but will the hefty price tags make treatments unaffordable for most of the world?
The reasons are multiple but largely stem from the ongoing lockdowns in China and the war in Ukraine that have created supply bottlenecks. In some cases, it’s the active ingredient that’s missing while in others it is the vial or packaging. Switzerland is also a small country so not a big priority for drug makers.
The shortages have forced doctors to procure medicine from abroad in some cases, said Philippe Luchsinger, who heads the Swiss physicians’ association. Luchsinger called on people not to hoard medicines but rather “only buy medicines when you need them”.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
Aussie adoptee gains Swiss citizenship at 54 thanks to old envelope
Swiss film in competition at the 75th Berlinale has a shot at Golden Bear
This content was published on
The comedy "La Cache" by Lausanne screenwriter and director Lionel Blaiser has a chance of winning the Silver or Golden Bear at the 75th Berlinale. This was announced by the organizers at a media conference on Tuesday morning.
Swiss politician who shot at image of Jesus resigns from Liberal Green Party
This content was published on
Sanija Ameti, who caused controversy after shooting at an image of Jesus and Mary last September, has resigned from the Liberal Green Party.
Swiss campaigners gather enough signatures to submit ‘responsible business’ initiative
This content was published on
The Swiss people are set to vote again on the corporate responsibility of multinationals after campaigners collected 183,661 signatures in 14 days for their new 'responsible business' initiative.
Several Swiss municipalities and banks hit by cyberattack
This content was published on
Russian hackers attacked the websites of several Swiss municipalities and banks on Tuesday, just as the World Economic Forum (WEF), got under way in Davos.
Music strengthens brain connections in premature babies, Swiss study shows
This content was published on
In premature babies, music strengthens connections in certain areas of the brain, according to a years-long study by the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG).
WEF gives Crystal Award to Beckham, Yamamoto and von Fürstenberg
This content was published on
The World Economic Forum in Davos handed out awards to UNICEF ambassador David Beckham, Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto and women's rights activist Diane von Fürstenberg.
Swiss CEOs betting on a strong domestic market in 2025
This content was published on
Swiss business leaders are optimistic about 2025, despite a world in crisis, says a new survey by Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
This content was published on
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis have welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang to Bern
Michelle Hunziker to co-present Eurovision Song Contest
This content was published on
Swiss-Italian television moderator Michelle Hunziker will be one of the presenters of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), scheduled for May 13-17 in Basel.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Limited number of drugs account for a fifth of all costs
This content was published on
A lack of transparency around the pricing of many top-selling Swiss drugs is also a problem, said an umbrella group of health insurers on Wednesday.
Swiss industry group worried about global supply chain issues
This content was published on
Despite high demand, the Swiss machinery, electrical engineering and metal (MEM) sector is still hampered by delivery bottlenecks.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.