A cross-agency Panel with experts from Swissmedic, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the Association of Cantonal Pharmacists (KAV) and the Association of Swiss Cantonal Chemists (VKCS) meets regularly to discuss questions of delimitation and, accordingly, competencies.
The Expert Committee handles delimitation issues on the basis of the following legal standards:
- Federal Act on Medicinal Products and Medical Devices (Therapeutic Products Act, TPA; SR 812.21)
- Federal Act on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles (Foodstuffs Act, FoodA; SR 817.0)
- Federal Act on Protection against Dangerous Substances and Preparations (Chemicals Act, ChemA; SR 813.1)
- Federal Act on Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (Narcotics Act, NarcA; SR 812.121)
- Tobacco Ordinance (TobO; SR 817.06). In the future: Federal Act on Tobacco Products and Electronic Cigarettes (Tobaccoproducts Act, TabPG)
The meetings ensure agreement among experts on questions of delimitation of products and/or substances, and thus enable clarification of implementing competencies and a standardised approach. The long-established cross-agency cooperation of this Expert Panel for Delimitation Questions has now been substantiated with Terms of Reference (ToR). It has also been decided that Swissmedic will head up the committee from 2023.
Information sheets on special topics relating to delimitation questions as well as recommendations and classifications relevant for market players that result from the panel's evaluations and support the legally compliant placing on the market of products are published in a suitable form: