“How come”, I asked a pharmacist friend last year, “that a box of ibuprofen costs the same as a Latte Macchiato at Starbucks”. He smiled helplessly and said: “and even that is too expensive for many”. “But”, I replied, “nothing against the cute barista and his ability to perfectly spread the milk foam over a freshly brewed double espresso and even customize my cup with my name!”

BUT: do people actually know about the cost, the level of know-how and the strict control conditions involved in the production of a box of ibuprofen? Not to mention the sophisticated logistics and storage required for this box sold 8.65 Swiss francs a piece.

Just a brief insight: let’s start with the active ingredient, the drug substance. A generic, nothing innovative, no research implied since long known, an off-patent drug. Yet: manufactured in validated facilities as chemical synthesis of specific raw materials, with adequate QC analytics. The process is so obviously inexpensive that it needs to be carried out in India or Asia. The active ingredient is then blended with clearly defined and controlled excipients and compressed into a tablet. We now have a solid-dose drug product at bulk stage. Back to appropriate premises and space with strictly controlled ventilation. The bulk is then inserted into blister-packs made of an aluminium foil that is solely reserved for this specific use (primary packaging). The next step is to place the blistered medication into a cardboard box together with a multilingual patient information leaflet, written by a health professional and approved by each local health authority (secondary packaging). Not just any cardboard box though: the markings, artwork, lot number, etc., every single element must be recorded in the approval documents. And at last, the storage in a temperature-controlled warehouse, ready for on-demand delivery within a few hours.

Highly qualified specialists are involved in each of the described steps: chemists, chemical workers, lab technicians, pharmacists, experts in Quality management, Regulatory Affairs, Medical, you name it… My purpose is certainly not to devaluate barista training programmes. In railway station cafés across Switzerland, baristas offer us a little piece of lifestyle.

What exactly does the pharmacist offers you with a box of ibuprofen? Indeed, lifestyle as well: personal advice, drug safety, care, health!

Hence my question: how much would you spend for a box of ibuprofen made in Europe (not Swiss-made!)? And how much would be too much, if 8.65 Swiss francs are already too much?