Routes of the same type are on the same row. Compare other markets.
12 pathway types exist in both markets: full application, new active substance, full or mixed application, known active substance, generic application, biosimilar application, conditional or accelerated approval, priority or accelerated review and more. The table lines up the routes of each type.
India: Permission to import or manufacture a new drug with a new molecule, 90 days. Switzerland: Ordinary authorization of a medicine with a new active substance, 330 days. These are official targets, not actual review times.
| Pathway type | India | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| Full application, new active substance | Permission to import or manufacture a new drug with a new moleculeForm CT-18 / CT-21 · target 90 days · fee ₹500,000 Vaccine approval and lot releasetarget 90 days Cell and gene therapy productstarget 90 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 |
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.
Simplified authorization of a known active substance with innovationArt. 14 Abs. 1 Bst. a HMG; Art. 12-14 VAZV · target 330 days · fee CHF 30,000 |
| Generic application | Permission for a new drug already approved in India (subsequent applicant)Form CT-18 / CT-21, Table 2 · target 90 days · fee ₹200,000 State manufacturing licence for drugs that are not new drugsForm 24 / Form 25 · fee ₹6,000 | 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 | Similar biologic (biosimilar) approvaltarget 90 days | 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 | - | 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 | Accelerated approvalSecond Schedule para 1(2)(ii)(A) · target 90 days | Temporary authorization (incomplete data)Art. 9a HMG; Art. 18-22 VAZV · target 140 days · fee CHF 80,000 |
| Priority or accelerated review | Expedited reviewSecond Schedule para 1(2)(ii)(B) | Fast-track authorization procedureArt. 7 VAM · target 140 days |
| Orphan or rare disease designation | Orphan drug provisionsRule 2(1)(x) · target 90 days | 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 |
| Early or compassionate access | Import of an unapproved new drug by a government hospitalForm CT-24 / CT-25 · fee ₹10,000 Manufacture of an unapproved new drug under trial for individual patientsForm CT-26 / CT-27 · fee ₹5,000 | Exceptional authorization of a device without conformity assessmentArt. 22 MepV; Art. 18 IvDV |
| Reliance route, abridged review | Local clinical trial waiver for drugs approved in specified countriesRule 101 · target 90 days · relies on US, GB, JP, AU, CA, EU | 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: premarket approval by the regulator | Permission for a medical device without a predicateForm MD-26 / MD-27 · fee ₹100,000 · relies on GB, US, AU, CA, JP, EU Permission for a new in vitro diagnostic deviceForm MD-28 / MD-29 · fee ₹25,000 | - |
| Device: conformity assessment by a certification body | Manufacturing licence for Class A and B devicesForm MD-3 / MD-5 | 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 | Import licence for medical devices and IVDsForm MD-14 / MD-15 · relies on AU, CA, JP, EU, US, GB Manufacturing licence for Class C and D devicesForm MD-7 / MD-9 · target 45 days | Registration of device economic operators and productsArt. 47 HMG; Art. 17 and 55 MepV |
| Other route | Registration certificate and import licence for imported drugsForm 40 / Form 41, Form 8 / Form 10 · fee ₹10,000 | 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 |