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, well-established use, non-prescription application and more. The table lines up the routes of each type.
United Kingdom: National assessment for innovative medicines, 150 days. Switzerland: Ordinary authorization of a medicine with a new active substance, 330 days. These are official targets, not actual review times.
| Pathway type | United Kingdom | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| Full application, new active substance | National assessment for innovative medicinesRegulation 50 · target 150 days · fee £124,194 Marketing authorisation for advanced therapiestarget 150 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 | National assessment for established medicinestarget 210 days · fee £34,335 |
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 medicine applicationRegulation 51B · target 210 days · fee £12,589 | 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 | Biosimilar applicationRegulation 53B · target 150 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 | Well-established use applicationRegulation 54 · target 210 days · fee £34,335 | 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 | Reclassification to pharmacy or general saletarget 120 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 |
| Approval under exceptional circumstances | - |
| Priority or accelerated review | - | Fast-track authorization procedureArt. 7 VAM · target 140 days |
| Intensive development support designation | - |
| Rolling or phased review | Rolling reviewtarget 100 days | - |
| Orphan or rare disease designation | Orphan designationfee £124,194 | 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 | Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS)target 75 days · fee £31,214 | 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 |
| Reliance route, recognition or verification | International Recognition Procedure, Recognition Atarget 60 days · fee £24,688 · relies on US, EU, JP, CA, AU, CH, SG International Recognition Procedure, Recognition Btarget 110 days · fee £83,580 · relies on US, EU, JP, CA, AU, CH, SG CE marked devices in Great Britainrelies on EU | - |
| Work-sharing or joint review | Project Orbis (cancer medicines)target 150 days · relies on US | - |
| 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 |
| 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 |