Interpharma

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Interpharma
logo
founding 1933
Seat Basel
main emphasis Lobbying and public relations
Chair Jörg-Michael Rupp (Roche, CH), President
Members 23 (April 2020)
Website www.interpharma.ch

Interpharma represents the interests of research-based pharmaceutical companies in Switzerland . The association represents 23 pharmaceutical companies: the member companies Abbvie, Amgen, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK, Lilly, MSD, Pfizer, Novo Nordisk, Takeda, UCB, Allergan, AstraZeneca, Biogen, Bristol-Meyer Squibb, Gilead, Johnson & Johnson, Lundbeck , Merck, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, Vifor Pharma. The work of the association consists in helping to shape health policy decisions. In recent years, for example, the association has advocated improved patient access to innovative drugs and therapies and has spoken out in favor of sustainable funding for the Swiss health system. Interpharma has been headed by René Buholzer since 2017.

history

Interpharma was founded in 1933 as the “Association of Swiss Chemical-Pharmaceutical Factories” in Basel. The founding companies are the formerly Sandoz Chemical Factory , the Society for Chemical Industry in Basel (Ciba) , F. Hoffmann-La Roche & Co. A.-G. Basel and the Dr. A. Wander A.-G . Bern listed. JR Geigy AG, which had not yet settled in the pharmaceutical business in 1933, joined Interpharma in 1942. The name Interpharma was only used internally in the early years, but became a permanent name after the Second World War.

In the first few years, Interpharma was able to distinguish itself as a platform for the pharmaceutical industry for political and professional problems in Switzerland and abroad. The focus was on representing the interests of the authorities and market partners: drug control, patent and trademark protection, price discussions, research conditions and security issues dominated the association's agenda.

The post-war period was still dominated by the founding members. However, the opening up of Switzerland in the years after 1945 created a desire for internationalization. Interpharma increasingly took part in scientific congresses in Switzerland. In the 1960s, the association underwent an internal reform, which was reflected in the adoption of new statutes in 1965. These defined a new direction in terms of content: "Preserve and promote the principles of professional ethics, maintain high quality standards, relate to those interested in the chemical-pharmaceutical industry and lobby." . The 1980s are the starting point for actively perceived campaigning. As Interpharma becomes more involved in Swiss political initiatives, a change is also taking place at the same time.

In 1997, Interpharma and the gfs.bern institute founded the “Health Monitor ”, an annual survey of the Swiss people's perception of health policy issues. Membership expansion begins in the same year. Serono SA (now Merck Serono) is the first to be admitted again since 1942. In April 2020 the number of members was 23.

The association has been running the SanteneXt project management team together with SWICA since 2019 . The multi-stakeholder cooperation promotes sustainable health projects.

Political and economic importance

Interpharma represents the research-based pharmaceutical companies in Switzerland at the political level and advocates good conditions in research and science. Overall, the Swiss pharmaceutical industry has a share of almost 10% of the Swiss gross domestic product. The added value of the Swiss pharmaceutical industry is estimated at CHF 36 billion and can generate an additional CHF 26 billion through its activities in other sectors. With a 38% share of Swiss goods exports and export revenues of around 88 billion Swiss francs, the sector is also the most important export sector. According to press reports, Interpharma is directly or indirectly involved in almost all decisions on health policy in Switzerland. The lobby's influence on politics is considerable due to the size of the pharmaceutical industry in Switzerland.

structure

The board of directors consists of a representative of the management of the member companies as well as an associate representative. The president is elected for a term of four years. The three committees, the Executive Committee, the Intellectual Property Expert Group and the Innovation Hub Committee work out the orientation and implementation in the individual policy areas. In addition to these three bodies, there are additional working groups that deal with specific tasks in the following six policy areas: patient access, market approval, health policy, intellectual property, Switzerland as a research and innovation location and Switzerland as a pharmaceutical and production location.

Association work

As a lobby group for research-based pharmaceutical companies in Switzerland, Interpharma says it advocates innovation-friendly framework conditions at home and abroad that promote pharmaceutical research, development and production. The aim of these efforts is to improve the profitability of the participating and associate members. With the adoption of the “Switzerland 2030 Pharmaceutical Location” agenda, the association is realigning itself at the end of 2019.

year theme position
2003 Genetic engineering Interpharma advocates genetic engineering.
2007 Parallel imports Interpharma argues against parallel imports of pharmaceuticals
2007 Reinforcement of patent protection , faster approval of drugs A study commissioned by Interpharma, which was carried out by Plaut Economics in collaboration with BAK Basel Economics, shows that innovative strength increases when profitability increases, which is achieved through strong patent protection, rapid market launch, effective insurance protection and high price differentiation can be.
2008 Faster drug approval For an acceleration of drug approvals in Switzerland. By 2010, Swissmedic had to carry out the approvals as quickly as the EU or the USA.
2009 Price comparisons Despite the resistance shown by Interpharma in 2007, Swiss health insurers carry out price comparisons between Switzerland and six European countries (Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Austria), with Interpharma participating in the assessment. This measure will be called into question again in 2011.
2010 Parallel imports Interpharma is still against parallel imports.
2010 Animal testing Interpharma advocates animal testing in pharmaceutical research, with Interpharma promoting the animal welfare charter of the pharmaceutical industry as a step forward for laboratory animals
2010 Professorship (Basel) Since 2010, Interpharma has financed a chair in health economics at the University of Basel .
2011 Price comparisons at drug prices After the introduction of price comparisons in 2009, Interpharma changed its course "because the exchange rate situation is particularly unfavorable".
2012 Privately sponsored professorships
against price fixing 		Interpharma continues to support the Chair for Health Economics in Basel and advocates private support for universities. In addition, Interpharma threatens to take legal action against price fixing by Federal Councilor Alain Berset .

Publications

Health Monitor: This publication has been published annually since 1997 and evaluates the latest health challenges facing Swiss voters in relation to the health system. The health monitor is based on an annual survey of at least 1200 representatively selected voters and focuses on changing topics.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entry ( Memento of the original from January 1, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. in the commercial register of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, accessed on October 19, 2011.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / bs.powernet.ch
  2. ^ Members. Interpharma, accessed May 19, 2020 .
  3. ↑ Vision & Mission. Interpharma, accessed May 19, 2020 .
  4. ↑ René Buholzer becomes General Secretary. In: NZZ. Retrieved May 19, 2020 .
  5. ↑ a b c d e Karl Lüönd: Raw material knowledge. The past and present of the Swiss pharmaceutical industry in fast motion . Verlag Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Basel 2008.
  6. ↑ Gfs.bern: The most important information about the Health Monitor 2019 in brief. Accessed on May 25, 2020 .
  7. ^ Sponsorship, members, project management, patronage committee. SanteneXt, accessed on May 25, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Pharmaceutical location Switzerland 2030. Interpharma, December 6, 2019, accessed on June 9, 2020 .
  9. ^ Claudia Schoch Connection of two giants in the health system , Neue Zürcher, June 4, 2011, accessed on October 20, 2011
  10. ^ Heidi Gmür , Free-spirited Protest against TV contribution , Neue Zürcher from July 5, 2009, accessed on October 20, 2011
  11. ^ Stefan Bühler , Pharma wants to put the muzzle on health insurance companies , Neue Zürcher from May 31, 2009; Retrieved October 20, 2011
  12. ↑ Interpharma annual report 2019, p. 37. Interpharma, accessed on May 25, 2020 .
  13. ↑ a b Study (PDF; 29 kB) Plaut Economics on behalf of Interpharma from October 9, 2007, accessed on October 21, 2011
  14. ↑ Pharmaceutical location 2030: starting position, strategies, measures. Interpharma, accessed June 2, 2020 .
  15. ↑ Daniel Ammann: Broad skepticism towards genetic engineering . In: Genschutzzeitung . No. 32 , September 2003 ( online ( Memento from December 14, 2005 in the Internet Archive )). Widespread skepticism towards genetic engineering ( memento of the original dated December 14, 2005 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gentechnologie.ch
  16. ↑ Tagesanzeiger ( Memento from October 11, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) (June 28, 2007) How the pharmaceutical lobby ensnares politics , accessed on October 21, 2011
  17. ↑ SMI - Swiss Medicines Information Center of November 17, 2008, accessed on October 21, 2011
  18. ↑ Interpharma: Health insurers and the pharmaceutical industry present for the first time a comparison of drug prices abroad from November 16, 2009, accessed on October 21, 2011
  19. ↑ a b Berner Zeitung on July 11, 2011; Retrieved October 21, 2011
  20. ↑ Press release of the VIPS Medicines Market 2010: Decline by 1.3% , www.Swiss-Press.com, accessed on October 21, 2011
  21. ^ Lobbyist as the eighth Federal Councilor? In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung . October 22, 2006, accessed September 6, 2017 .
  22. ^ The club broadcast on Swiss television on July 6, 2010, accessed on October 21, 2011
  23. ↑ Interpharma: First annual report on the Animal Welfare Charter of the Pharmaceutical Industry from September 22, 2011, accessed on October 21, 2011
  24. ↑ Interpharma donates professorship , Basler Zeitung , October 16, 2010, accessed on October 18, 2011.
  25. ↑ CW Bern Private money for professorships arouses suspicion ; Neue Zürcher Zeitung from Wednesday, October 24, 2012
  26. ↑ Thomas Angeli and Otto Hostettler We are also consulted in advance ; Interview with Thomas B. Cueni, The Observer 2012, issue 21
  27. ↑ Health Monitor . Interpharma, accessed June 2, 2020 .