Bern, 12 January 2011 – Compulsory health insurance will reimburse anthroposophic medicine, homeopathy, neural therapy, herbal medicine, and traditional Chinese medicine, subject to certain conditions, beginning January 1, 2012 and continuing until the end of 2017, according to the Federal Department of the Interior (FDHA), which informed the Federal Council of its intentions. This interim time will be utilized to clarify the contentious issues. To yet, it has been unable to demonstrate that these drugs completely fulfill the legal requirements for efficacy, adequacy, and cost-effectiveness (EAE).

  • the people and all cantons accepted a constitutional article advocating for better consideration of complementary medicines in a public referendum on May 17, 2009;
  • the present legislation, which mandates that services be effective, appropriate, and cost-effective, and which empowers the DFI to determine whether or not to fund a problematic drug under review;
  • the Federal Commission for General Benefits and Principles’ recommendation of December 7, 2010, that these complementary medications did not fulfill the standards for coverage by mandatory health insurance.

The Federal Department of Home Affairs, in particular, has made the following decisions:

  • The FDHA’s benefit ordinance will be changed to include the terms under which the mandatory health insurance will cover the expenses of the five complementary medications in question. The government has directed the Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP) to produce a revision of this ordinance in the first half of 2011, which will have to explain the terms of payment for each of the medicines involved.
  • From 2012 through the end of 2017, the efficacy, appropriateness, and cost-effectiveness of these five complementary medications were regarded to be somewhat debatable (within the meaning of the law and the ordinance on health insurance). From now on, the DFI will take all necessary steps to eliminate the contentious components of this subject and to clarify it.
  • The DFI will invite applicants for the complementary medicines in question to draft a proposal and then oversee the EAE criteria review. These assessments are expected to be completed by the end of 2015, and will take into account data that has already been collected and analyzed in Switzerland.
  • The effectiveness of the five complementary medications must also be assessed by an internationally renowned institute, which must provide an impartial opinion (health technology evaluation) as well as any suggestions by the end of 2015.
  • The department directs the federal commission on general services and principles to provide a fresh proposal to the department in 2016 under its new composition and within the scope of its mandate, which was changed and defined in 2011. This advice will be based on the findings of the above-mentioned evaluations and expertise.
  • In partnership with the relevant circles, the DFI will make all necessary efforts to bring the constitutional provision to life in other sectors.
  • The DFI will establish a monitoring panel to oversee the entire process, which will include members from alternative medicine. In this light, he would write to the candidates as well as the umbrella organization to define his principles and ask them to a first meeting as soon as possible.