Routes of the same type are on the same row. Compare other markets.
9 pathway types exist in both markets: full application, new active substance, full or mixed application, known active substance, generic application, non-prescription application, conditional or accelerated approval, priority or accelerated review and more. The table lines up the routes of each type.
China: Marketing authorization for an innovative drug, 200 days. Switzerland: Ordinary authorization of a medicine with a new active substance, 330 days. These are official targets, not actual review times.
| Pathway type | China | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| Full application, new active substance | Marketing authorization for an innovative drugChemical category 1; therapeutic biologic category 1 · target 200 days · fee CN¥593,900 Vaccine registrationPreventive biologic categories 1 to 3 · target 200 days | Ordinary authorization of a medicine with a new active substanceArt. 11 HMG · target 330 days · fee CHF 80,000 |
| Full or mixed application, known active substance | Improved new drug (known active substance)Chemical category 2; therapeutic biologic category 2 · target 200 days |
Not legal or regulatory advice. Check the current official rules before you act. Parts of the approvals data are official open data reused under open licences. Data sources.
| Generic application | Generic chemical drugChemical categories 3, 4 and 5.2 · target 200 days · fee CN¥502,000 · relies on EU, US, JP | Simplified authorization of a generic (known active substance without innovation)Art. 14 Abs. 1 Bst. a HMG; Art. 12-14 VAZV · target 330 days · fee CHF 15,000 |
| Biosimilar application | - | Authorization of a biosimilarArt. 4 Abs. 1 Bst. anovies HMG · target 330 days · fee CHF 50,000 · relies on EU, US |
| Well-established use | - | Simplified authorization for active substances used for ten years in the EU or EFTAArt. 14 Abs. 1 Bst. abis HMG; Art. 17a-17b VAZV · target 330 days · relies on EU Simplified authorization for long-used non-prescription medicinesArt. 14 Abs. 1 Bst. ater HMG; Art. 17c VAZV · target 330 days · relies on EU |
| Non-prescription application | Nonprescription (OTC) drug applicationtarget 200 days | Non-prescription status: dispensing category and switchArt. 23-23a HMG; Art. 40-44 VAM · target 270 days |
| Traditional or herbal registration | - | Simplified authorization of herbal and complementary medicinesArt. 14 Abs. 1 Bst. b und cbis HMG · target 120 days · fee CHF 3,000 |
| Conditional or accelerated approval | Temporary authorization (incomplete data)Art. 9a HMG; Art. 18-22 VAZV · target 140 days · fee CHF 80,000 |
| Priority or accelerated review | Priority review and approvaltarget 130 days | Fast-track authorization procedureArt. 7 VAM · target 140 days |
| Intensive development support designation | - |
| Orphan or rare disease designation | - | Orphan drug status (important medicine for a rare disease)Art. 4 Abs. 1 Bst. adecies HMG; Art. 4-5 VAZV · target 210 days · relies on EU, US |
| Pediatric plan or incentive | - | Pediatric investigation plan and pediatric incentivesArt. 54a HMG; Art. 5 VAM |
| Emergency or temporary authorisation | - |
| Early or compassionate access | Hong Kong and Macao drugs and devices in the Greater Bay Areatarget 5 days · relies on HK, MO | Exceptional authorization of a device without conformity assessmentArt. 22 MepV; Art. 18 IvDV |
| Reliance route, abridged review | - | Authorization based on a foreign authorization (Article 13 procedure)Art. 13 HMG; Art. 16-20 VAM · target 195 days · fee CHF 15,000 · relies on EU, US, GB, CA, AU, JP, SG |
| Device: premarket notification | - |
| Device: conformity assessment by a certification body | - | Medical device conformity assessment and placing on the marketArt. 45-47 HMG; MepV · relies on EU In vitro diagnostic device conformity assessment and placing on the marketIvDV · relies on EU |
| Device: registration or licence with the regulator | Class II device and IVD registrationtarget 60 days · fee CN¥210,900 Class III device and IVD registrationtarget 90 days · fee CN¥308,800 | Registration of device economic operators and productsArt. 47 HMG; Art. 17 and 55 MepV |
| Device: breakthrough or priority program | - |
| Other route | Procedure with prior notification (20 percent shorter review for a double fee)Art. 7 GebV-Swissmedic · target 264 days Simplified authorization for a parallel importArt. 14 Abs. 2 und 3 HMG · target 330 days · fee CHF 4,000 |