According to the Swiss food law food supplements are special foods, which contribute to obtain a certain nutritional-physiological effect (article 2 al 1, 22 Ordinance on Special Foods). If food supplements fulfil the special and general legal requirements, they are marketable without a special authorization.
The demarcation between food supplements and drugs often is problematic. To determine whether a product can be classified as a food supplement primarily the product composition (objective purpose) and in second place the presentation from the view of the manufacturer (subjective purpose) are decisive. A classification of plant materials results from a list of the FOPH.
Contrary to the European Union Switzerland has a positive list of the allowed health related allegations on food. New food supplements or food supplements with new health-claims require an authorization.
Rentsch Partner Ltd. attorneys-at-law and patent attorneys support you with the marketing of Food supplements and other functional foods according to the Swiss and the European legal requirements.