- Swissmedic — Swiss Medicines Agency
Federal Institute for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices. Issues marketing authorizations, wholesale licenses, GMP inspections. Swiss GMP is PIC/S-aligned.
- Marketing Authorizations (MA)
- Wholesale dealer authorizations
- GMP inspections — Swissmedic certificates accepted by EU, UK, MHRA
- Exceptional authorizations for unregistered products
- fedpol — Federal Office of Police
Issues all narcotic licenses and per-shipment import/export permits under the Swiss Narcotics Act (BetmG). Separate from Swissmedic — both agencies required for cannabis.
- Annual narcotic handling licenses
- Per-shipment import and export permits
- Compliance with Single Convention 1961
- INCB reporting
- BAG / OFSP — Federal Office of Public Health
Bundesamt für Gesundheit. Oversees national health policy including cannabis access policy. Issues exceptional authorizations for medical use in complex cases.
- National cannabis policy
- Cantonal exceptional authorization oversight
- Patient access policy
- Cantonal Health Authorities — 26 cantonal authorities
Each Swiss canton has its own health authority. Cantonal exceptional authorizations (Ausnahmebewilligungen) are issued for unregistered medicinal cannabis. Requirements vary between cantons — Zurich, Geneva, and Basel are most active.
- Cantonal exceptional authorization per patient/prescriber
- Cantonal pharmacy oversight
- Cantonal narcotic registry
- Kantonale Apothekerverband — Cantonal pharmacy associations
Each canton has a pharmacy association overseeing dispensing standards. Pharmacies must comply with cantonal and federal requirements simultaneously.
- Cantonal pharmacy license
- Federal narcotic dispensing rules
- BetmG register maintenance
- Licensed Pharmacies — Dispensing
Dispense against physician prescriptions under cantonal and federal oversight. Narcotic dispensing register maintained. Cantonal exceptional authorizations required for non-registered cannabis products.
- Cantonal pharmacy license
- BetmG narcotic register
- Exceptional authorization from cantonal authority for unregistered products
- Patients — End recipients
Receive cannabis via physician prescription. Cantonal exceptional authorization required if product is unregistered. Health insurance (Krankenkasse) coverage for cannabis is limited — primarily out of pocket.