Introduction

Medication non-adherence, i.e., patients not taking medications as prescribed, diminishes clinical outcomes and quality of life. This phenomenon is endemic, leading to an estimated 200,000 premature deaths and 125 billion Euros of excess healthcare costs each year in Europe alone [1].

Medication adherence (MA) consists of three interrelated phases: initiation (first dose taken), implementation (daily regimen management) and discontinuation (last dose taken) [2]. In Switzerland, half of the population aged 15 years and older takes at least one medication per week [3]. Worldwide, studies showed that most patients (69–96%) initiate their prescribed treatments correctly, but 30–50% do not implement them optimally. Within 2 years of their first prescription, more than 50% of patients discontinue use of their prescribed medication [1]…..

Launch of the Swiss COST ENABLE Network

On March 18th, 2022 Switzerland’s ENABLE country group launched a pioneering initiative to set priorities for implementing MA interventions in real-world settings. An online conference was held to: 1) connect Swiss and international stakeholders; and 2) initiate MA priority-setting, particularly regarding implementation of MA interventions and technologies.

Seventy-five participants including researchers, clinicians, healthcare industry delegates and one policymaker, from 34 countries took part. Keynote lectures and an interprofessional roundtable highlighted the state-of-the-art MA understanding regarding the place for digital technology in real-world settings, alongside strategies to address non-adherence. Priorities to move toward a more favourable, multilevel ecosystem for developing, implementing and maintaining MA interventions in Switzerland were discussed. While the highest priority was identified as support to the implementation of MA interventions in real-world settings, education, research and policy measures were also highlighted…

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