In 2017, 1,060 shipments of illegally imported therapeutic products were seized, including medically important medicinal products that are subject to strict prescribing limits.
Individuals may, in the same way as a tourist, import a one month's supply into Switzerland for their own use but not for third parties. However, if a medicinal product is classified as a narcotic (Link), it may only be imported or exported by travelers who
are ill (Link).
Regarding doping, special directives apply: see here also Doping or www.antidoping.ch.
It depends whether the products in questions are classified as food supplements or medicines in Switzerland. Appendix 13 of the Ordinance of the Federal Department of Home Affairs on special foodstuffs (available on the Internet in German, French and Italian at http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/c817_022_104.html) states those substances that are permitted in food supplements. If the content of the products you wish to order is not included in the Appendix mentioned above, then the product is classified as a medicine. If the manufacturer's recommended daily dose exceeds the permitted daily dose stated in Appendix 13, the product is also classified as a medicine. Please note that for vitamin D 150%, for vitamin A 200% and for all other vitamins 300% of the listed daily doses are permitted. For minerals, trace elements and other nutrients, the daily doses stated in Appendix 13 are permitted without supplemental amounts. A food supplement is also considered to be a medicine if it is used to treat an ailment, e.g. pain in the joints, to reduce blood sugar or for slimming. If a product is classified as a medicine, one month's supply may be imported. Enfin, si un produit est classé comme médicament, il est dans tous les cas interdit d'importer une quantité supérieure à un mois de traitement.
First, it is important to know whether the product in question is actually a food supplement in accordance with Swiss legislation, or whether it is classified as a medicine. To make the distinction, which is not always simple, between the two categories, please see the previous questions relating to the import of vitamins from the USA. Swissmedic can provide you with information on medicine. The Cantonal laboratories are responsible for food supplements, (see http://www.kantonschemiker.ch/ in German, French and Italian). In order for the authorities to be in a position to process you enquiry, you need to specify the precise composition of the products and the purpose for which they are intended.
Medicinal products can also contain doping substances. This applies when substances contained in a medicinal product are listed in the Sport Promotion Ordinance. Different rules to those on the import of medicinal products are applied for importing doping substances. A zero-tolerance approach is normally taken. Further information on doping substances can be found on the website of Antidoping Switzerland: http://www.antidoping.ch/en/
You are permitted to import a maximum of 3000mg of Sildenafil OR 200 mg of Tadalafil OR 600mg of Vardenafil for your personal use. This dosage corresponds to the maximum authorised supply for one month. The active pharmaceutical ingredients Sildenafil, Tadalafil and Vardenafil belong to the same class of active pharmaceutical ingredients (PDE5 blockers) and may not be combined.
Swissmedic nevertheless issues a warning about ordering any medicinal products from the Internet, since they can be harmful to health.
The risks are both health-related and financial. These medicines are very often lacking in quality and effectiveness. Medicines are more and more frequently found that are over- or under-dosed, that are transported without the appropriate cooling, or that contain other effective substances than those that are declared. The consumers are rarely informed about the risks related to the medicines. It is also extremely frequent for a medicine to be claimed as being purely herbal, although it contains chemical, prescription-only substances. In some cases, prices that are far higher than those in Switzerland are charged. If you attempt to import more than a small quantity for your own needs into Switzerland, and the customs authorities intercept the package, you could be faced with the medicines being destroyed and paying several hundred francs in administration costs. For repeated imports or the suspicion of trading, Swissmedic may also initiate penal proceedings against the importer.
An individual may import medicinal products for his or her own pets to the extent of one month's supply. Importing medicines for livestock is prohibited. By livestock is understood animals used to produce foodstuffs. This also includes horses, unless the identity document (passport) specifically states that the horse is a domestic animal.
Swissmedic is only responsible for medicines. Your Cantonal laboratory (see http://www.kantonschemiker.ch/ in German, French and Italian) can provide you with information regarding food supplements. In order for the authorities to be in a position to process your enquiry, you need to specify the precise composition of the products and the purpose for which they are intended.
Swissmedic is not able to provide this information, since each country has its own legislation on the subject. For importing goods to foreign countries, please contact the relevant embassy.
There are two such forms. One is based on the Schengen agreement, and the other is issued by the UNO. However, the forms are only valid for medicines containing narcotics (e.g. sleeping medication, tranquilisers or medicines to treat sever pain). For security reasons, and for travel outside the Schengen area, you should ask the relevant embassy whether it is permitted to import the medicine into the country in question.
No. You need an operating permit from Switzerland to export medicines, which is issued to pharmaceutical companies. It makes no difference whether or not the medicines must be paid for by the recipient.
The customs authorities have held back the dispatch because they are not sure whether the import is legal. They have sent Swissmedic a so-called notification regarding a suspicious dispatch. You have received a copy of this in order to inform you that the dispatch has been blocked. Swissmedic needs to process this case. If everything is in order, your dispatch will be released for import. If the assessment of the authorities is that your dispatch cannot be released, you will receive a letter from Swissmedic explaining the issue in question. You may take a stance to this letter, which is known as a preliminary decision. Finally, you will receive a formal decision with legal instructions stating what will happen to the blocked goods. If you do not agree with the decision, you have the right to have the case judged by the Federal Administrative Court.
If medicinal products that have not been released to you represent a threat to health, or if they come from an illegal source, they will be destroyed. Otherwise, they may be returned to the sender. In any case, you must bear the administrative costs. You should estimate that the said costs will be at least CHF 300.- for handling the case. If you have imported illegal medicines into Switzerland on several occasions, or if you are suspected of trading therein, Swissmedic may also initiate penal proceedings.
If a website is hosted in Switzerland, if the person responsible for the site is in Switzerland, or if the mail order trade takes place on Swiss territory, the Swiss authorities can step in. Foreign providers are not subject to Swiss law, meaning that the Swiss authorities cannot intervene directly. Swissmedic therefore focuses above all on informing the public and raising awareness. The message is simple: anyone ordering medicinal products from a non-controlled source (e.g. the Internet) is placing their health at risk. Swissmedic therefore issues repeated warnings about obtaining medicines over the Internet.
