Determine whether you need to follow legal restrictions. Certain products (e.g. medicines, chemicals, and agricultural fertilisers and pesticides) must be approved by a federal agency (such as swissmedic or the Federal Office of Public Health) in order to protect public health, the environment or other important resources before they can be produced or marketed. Patent owners also require authorisation in order to bring certain patented products to the market. This is because a patent does not automatically confer on its owner the right to use an invention. The Patents Act does not govern whether and under which conditions an invention may be used. This is regulated by other legislation, such as the Therapeutic Products Act or the Gene Technology Act.

Further information

• Overview of the approval procedure, cantonal procedure, and regulated professions (website of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO).