What does Europe need to create better conditions for Switch?

Following last week’s #SwitchDay2026, our new briefing paper guides policymakers and medicines agencies in facilitating Switch and supporting self-care innovation.

Read: https://ow.ly/lKAE50ZX6Xt

💡 Switch is about more than reclassification.

At #SwitchDay2026, speakers highlighted how #RealWorldEvidence, community pharmacists, digital tools and regulatory dialogue can improve #PatientAccess while maintaining high standards of safety and efficacy.

💊 Patients need information, choice and support. The full value of #SelfCare is realised when early access to medicines is combined with the expert advice of #CommunityPharmacists. Together, they improve #AccessToCare and patient empowerment. #SwitchDay2026

🚀 Welcome to #SwitchDay2026!

A fitting start: our opening speakers are both named Oliver.
One Oliver, one Olivér, but plenty of perspectives on #SelfCare, #RxToOTCSwitch #switch and healthcare system resilience.

🔹 Oliver Hartmann
🔹 Olivér Várhelyi

💡 Europe's challenge isn't proving that #SelfCare works.
The challenge is scaling what already works:
🌍 Learn from successful switches.
📊 Build on evidence.
🤝 Strengthen collaboration.
💊 Expand patient access.

A fitting conclusion to #SwitchDay2026.

📖 Real-world switch stories.
💥 Real-world impacts. Real lives changed.

A few of these stories came up at Session 4 at #SwitchDay2026
🤝 One message resonated: successful switches need all stakeholders: #Regulators, #Patients, #HealthcareProfessionals, #Researchers and #Industry .

🌍 The future of #SelfCare in Europe will depend on more than benefit-risk assessments alone:
🧪 Better evidence
📚 Health literacy
🤝 Cross-country learning
💶 Incentives for innovation
💊 Timely access through pharmacies

Key messages from the closing panel at #SwitchDay2026.