Routes of the same type are on the same row. Compare other markets.
11 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.
Switzerland: Ordinary authorization of a medicine with a new active substance, 330 days. Taiwan: New indication or new dosage change, 180 days. These are official targets, not actual review times.
| Pathway type | Switzerland | Taiwan |
|---|---|---|
| Full application, new active substance | Ordinary authorization of a medicine with a new active substanceArt. 11 HMG · target 330 days · fee CHF 80,000 | New drug registration, new active substancetarget 360 days · fee NT$1,500,000 Biological product registration (recombinant products, vaccines, plasma products, allergens)target 360 days · fee NT$1,500,000 |
| 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.
New drug registration, known ingredient (new combination, route, dosage form, dose or strength)target 300 days · fee NT$500,000 New indication or new dosage changetarget 180 days |
| Generic application | 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 | Generic drug registrationtarget 210 days · fee NT$140,000 |
| Biosimilar application | Authorization of a biosimilarArt. 4 Abs. 1 Bst. anovies HMG · target 330 days · fee CHF 50,000 · relies on EU, US | Biosimilar registrationfee NT$1,500,000 |
| 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 | - |
| Non-prescription monograph | - |
| 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 | Conditional permit for regenerative medicinal productstarget 120 days · fee NT$1,500,000 New drug accelerated approvaltarget 240 days |
| Priority or accelerated review | Fast-track authorization procedureArt. 7 VAM · target 140 days | New drug priority reviewtarget 240 days Device priority reviewfee NT$180,000 |
| Intensive development support designation | - | Breakthrough therapy designationtarget 240 days |
| 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 | Designation for drugs for pediatric or rare severe diseasestarget 240 days |
| Pediatric plan or incentive | Pediatric investigation plan and pediatric incentivesArt. 54a HMG; Art. 5 VAM | - |
| Early or compassionate access | 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 | New drug streamlined review (reliance on US, EU and Japan approvals)target 180 days · relies on US, EU, JP |
| Device: premarket notification | - | Class 1 device listingfee NT$10,000 |
| Device: new low or moderate risk device | - | License for a device with no similar product in Taiwantarget 220 days · fee NT$130,000 License for a world-first devicetarget 365 days · fee NT$250,000 |
| Device: premarket approval by the regulator | - | Class 3 device licensetarget 200 days · fee NT$100,000 |
| 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 | Registration of device economic operators and productsArt. 47 HMG; Art. 17 and 55 MepV | Class 1 device licensetarget 80 days · fee NT$15,000 Class 2 device licensetarget 140 days · fee NT$58,000 · relies on US, EU In vitro diagnostic device license (Class 2 and Class 3)target 150 days · fee NT$100,000 |
| 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 |