As of 1 January 2019, anyone who produces, sells or distributes medicinal products is required by law to report to Swissmedic any suspicion of illegal trading in such products.

A new version of the Information sheet on notification of suspected illegal trading in medicinal products has been available since 1 September 2022.

Examples from the new content:
The revised information sheet

• clarifies the criteria for cases to be notified in connection with mandatory notification when there is a suspicion of illegal trading in medicinal products
• supplements the legal basis as specified in Annex 4 of the Medicinal Products Licensing Ordinance (MPLO; SR 812.212.1)
• mentions the special case of returns from the pharmacy
• specifies exemptions to mandatory notification for falsified or illegally traded medicinal products manufactured for foreign markets
• gives further details regarding notifications of theft/loss

Counterfeiting and illegal sales of medicines and medical devices constitute a major threat to health.

Combatting the counterfeiting of medicinal products and medical devices calls for concerted action at the international level.