Pharma is accused of making mega profits on cancer
The NGO Public Eye estimates that companies obtain between 40 and 90% of the margin on anti-cancer drugs. Interpharma rejects these figures.
Published today at 06:30
Swiss pharmaceutical companies, such as Novartis, are at the forefront of cancer research. But are cancer drug prices still justified?
KEYSTONE/YANNICK BAILLY
To treat breast cancer, your specialist will prescribe the drug Kisqali, a Novartis product. On the list of specialties of the compulsory health insurance, the reference price of the box of 63 tablets amounts to 3079 francs. After one year, you will be billed 37,000 francs for the therapy. How much does Novartis make selling you the Kisqali? What is its margin, once all costs have been deducted? It is impossible to know precisely. Public data is lacking.
