Economic importance of the in vitro diagnostics industry in Switzerland

The Swiss in vitro diagnostics industry plays a central role in public health. Through precise and timely diagnoses, diseases can be detected early and effective treatments can be initiated. Based on a survey of hospital and private laboratories as well as manufacturers and distributors of in vitro diagnostics, Polynomics calculated the economic importance of the industry. With around 12,000 employees, the industry generated a gross value added of CHF 2.8 billion in 2022. The industry's contribution to coping with the Covid 19 pandemic is also reflected in the value added, which increased by around 17% in 2021 compared to the previous year and declined again in 2022. The vast majority of companies invest in personnel, capital and research and development. In this context, companies are challenged by the shortage of skilled workers, cost pressure in compulsory health insurance, tariffs and increasing regulation. Thanks to improved diagnostic accuracy, laboratory diagnostics contributes to reducing the social costs of diseases. It is also an important pillar in the fight against communicable diseases, as the tests for the Sars-CoV-2 virus have impressively shown in recent years.