17.3.2026
SL Insight Newsletter #26
Industry is stepping up the pressure - Stalemate at the FOPH
Marcel Boller
An article in Bilanz dated March 16, 2026, shows just how openly Novartis and Roche are now highlighting the link between Swiss prices and U.S. price pressure. The CEOs are sounding the alarm because, in their view, lower or delayed price increases in Switzerland could have negative repercussions on pricing in the United States.
What are the key points?
- Novartis and Roche openly link Swiss prices to U.S. pressure from MFN/GENEROUS.
- The warning applies not only to price levels but also to the launch dates of new products.
- So far, there has been no discernible trend toward higher prices at the BAG.
What does the BAG do?
From our perspective, there appears to be no movement on the part of the FOPH. The FOPH describes MFN as a “storm in a teacup” and is calling on companies to provide transparent facts and figures regarding the actual effects of the U.S. decisions. This is also evident in the consultation on the KVV revision: the regulatory focus remains on affordability, cost control, and procedural logic. The only glimmer of hope is the “Life Sciences Hub” working group, which, however, will not present its initial findings until the fall.
