One of the main reasons for this increase is the growing lack of transparency in pricing, says Helsana's latest drug report.

The report shows that price negotiations between the pharmaceutical industry and the federal government are often based on“declared prices that are artificially inflated”, Helsana stated. The health insurer therefore recommends that such prices should no longer be used as a basis for calculating costs.

+ The high stakes fight over drug prices

Helsana is also calling for an annual cost audit, which, according to the insurer, would speed up price reductions. Currently, this audit, conducted by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), takes place every three years.

According to the Helsana report, in 2023 drug costs in Switzerland had already risen by 5.9% to CHF9.02 billion in the outpatient sector. And for the first time, they represented the largest expenditure item in basic insurance.

In the last ten years, the prices of new medicines have almost doubled. This is also true for products with no innovations, adds Helsana, according to which rapid and consistent implementation of the cost monitoring model adopted by parliament is indispensable.

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