Trump and Big Pharma could raise illness premiums

The American president demands from Europe that she devotes more medicines to. In addition, Confederation also feels the effects. Consequently, She defends herself and warns against an increase in bonuses.

Pascal Michel / ch media

Donald Trump attacks the pharmaceutical industry head on. In addition, Through massive customs duties, it pushes the world’s largest drug manufacturers to move their production in the United States.

At the same time, he wishes to cap the record prices charged in the country. Therefore, Pharmaceutical groups could no longer charge prices four times higher than those in force in Europe.

The big Swiss actors, Roche and Novartis, pay the price. Therefore, By the end of September, they must detail how they intend to reduce their prices in the United States. In addition, Otherwise. Nevertheless, Trump threatens:

Trump criticizes European “profiteers” – Trump big pharma could raise

In addition to the industry, Trump’s pressure stroke in the pharmaceutical sector has also alerted the European health authorities, including in Switzerland. Furthermore, The American president criticizes his country for “subsidizing, by record prices, cheaper drugs in other countries”. Nevertheless, trump big pharma could raise For comparison, the United States devotes 1.74% of its gross domestic product to new drugs, compared to 0.39% for Switzerland.

This “clandestine passenger policy” that Trump denounces must now end. Meanwhile, thanks to the establishment in the United States of reference prices for original drugs, an indirect way of pushing Europe to devote more means to the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, The American group Eli Lilly. For example, known for its weight loss injections, has already resumed Trump’s argument: the company recently declared that prices in the United States could only be reduced if spending on European markets were increased.

Industry enters into high prices

In Switzerland. the Federal Office for Public Health (OFSP) is found at the heart of this storm. He negotiates the prices of medication with manufacturers trump big pharma could raise in the country. taking into account the prices charged abroad as well as the costs of alternative therapies. Negotiations are bitter: according to the FOPS. last year, manufacturers asked about departure prices around 30% greater than the real economic value. This figure concerns 40 new drugs registered in 2024 on the list of specialties. For cancer treatments, manufacturers even seek to benefit even more.

With American pressure, discussions are not likely to soften. The Interpharma association has already prepared the field by pleading for “a prize fixing system which rewards innovation”. An idea taken up publicly by the boss of Novartis, Vas Narasimhan, in the Financial Times. In the absence of advances. Roche showed the alternative: the Basel group recently withdrawn from the Swiss market an anti -cancer, believing that its price was not justified and that the efficiency data remained insufficient.

Already the most expensive Switzerland in Europe

The Federal Office for Public Health follows “very carefully” the current debate on prices. However, he does not feel obliged to support the industry by increasing the tariffs of drugs.

For the Federal Office for Public Health. it’s clear:

In other words, it is not because Roche, Novartis and others see their profits threatened in the United States that Swiss insureders must bear the cost. The OFSP also stresses that drug prices are already high in trump big pharma could raise Switzerland. The country is in the lead for original drugs and. in Europe, no country no longer spends per capita for health.

Five new study measures

The federal government claims to want to maintain attractive conditions for laboratories. Rather than authorizing a general price increase. it is preparing five targeted reforms of the current system, including four favorable to industry. Among them. a new evaluation mechanism which would take more account of the real efficiency of treatments, their impact on the quality of life or their tolerance. But the implementation will take time: the public consultation is planned for winter. the measures could come into force in early 2027.

Trump reason in the short term. He wants to quickly obtain results on drug prices. aware that his crusade against trump big pharma could raise the “foreign profiteers” of the Pharma highlights him with his electoral base. Switzerland has already paid the price: it has justified 39% customs duties by stating that the country “is enriched on drugs”. In this context, the Pharma should play a central role in the next discussions of the Federal Council. A summit is scheduled in Bern in September. with drug prices-in Switzerland and in the United States-in the forefront of debates.

Translated. adapted by Noëline Flippe