The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) offers a whistleblowing platform that enables individuals to report violations related to integrity, transparency, and discounts (ITD) concerning therapeutic products. Since January 2020, the FOPH enforces the regulations on integrity and transparency laid down in the Therapeutic Products Act (Art. 55 and 56 TPA) and the obligation to pass on discounts in accordance with the Health Insurance Act (Krankenversicherungsgesetz, KVG; Art. 56 para. 3 KVG), ensuring that benefits do not influence prescriptions, that price discounts are disclosed, and that service providers pass on any discounts to patients or insurers.

What can be reported and who can report? Any private individual can submit a report if they have a specific and substantiated concern about a breach of integrity and transparency regulations or a breach of the obligation to pass on benefits. Examples of potential violations include accepting gifts from pharmaceutical companies or failing to properly record and forward discounts.

How to report and what happens next? Individuals can submit reports via the secure external ITD whistleblowing platform, with step-by-step guidance provided. Reports can be made anonymously and there is also the option to communicate anonymously with ITD specialists via a secure digital mailbox. the system confirms receipt. Once a report has been submitted, the system confirms receipt. If the FOPH needs further information, it will contact the reporter through the secure inbox. The FOPH will generally not inform the reporters about the actions taken based on their report.

For more information, see here.