Disinformation and conspiracy theories, amplified by social media, are distorting minds at scale. At the same time, the rise of news deprivation—a world in which citizens are either cut off from reliable reporting or simply tune it out—has deepened public confusion and mistrust. This week, we looked at a study that shows nearly half of Switzerland’s population […]
Swiss insurers overwhelmed by weight-loss drug demand
Switzerland’s health insurers are hiring extra staff—not to process claims for surgery or cancer care, but to handle a surge in requests for weight-loss injections, reported SRF. A survey by SRF’s consumer programme Espresso found that such requests now account for up to a third of all reimbursement applications at several major insurers. At CSS, […]
Shark meat with dangerous mercury levels sold under misleading names
Nearly two-thirds of shark-meat samples tested in Switzerland and across Europe contain alarming levels of methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin, according to a new study. Much of the meat is sold under misleading names, such as roussette, saumonette, chien de mer or veau de mer. A German laboratory analysed 44 samples of blue shark and seven […]
Hiking accidents double in Switzerland over 15 years
The number of mountain-hiking accidents in Switzerland has doubled in the past 15 years, according to new data from Suva, the national accident insurer. Between 2009 and 2013, just over 4,000 incidents were recorded annually. From 2019 to 2023, that figure rose to around 9,000 a year. More than eight in ten accidents involved hikers […]
Switzerland’s most dangerous jobs
Ensuring workplace safety is a legal obligation in Switzerland, yet accidents remain frequent and costly. A recent report by Suva highlights the country’s most hazardous professions — with forestry topping the list. Loggers face the highest risk of injury. Chainsaws, falling branches, steep terrain and heavy machinery make their work perilous: in 2023, more than […]
Switzerland’s family-doctor shortage continues to worsen
Switzerland faces a worsening shortage of general practitioners, according to a workforce study published on 2 October 2025. By 2035 hundreds will need replacing. Already three-quarters of practising doctors report a shortfall in their region. The survey, conducted by the University of Basel among 1,776 medical practices, highlights five main problems, says the Swiss association […]
Health premiums and immigration top Swiss concerns in 2025
Health-insurance premiums and immigration remain the two biggest political concerns for Swiss voters, though both are less prevalent than last year, according to the latest SSR electoral barometer. Relations with the European Union, housing shortages and the economy have gained ground. Health costs top the list of challenges, cited by 40% of respondents. Immigration follows […]
Swiss health premiums to climb again in 2026
Swiss households will pay more for compulsory health insurance next year. Premiums are set to rise by an average of 4.4% in 2026, adding roughly 200 francs to annual bills. For children the increase is 4.9%; for young adults, 4.2%; and for everyone else, 4.1%. The burden varies widely by canton. Ticino will see the […]
Artificial sweeteners may accelerate brain ageing
A long-term Brazilian study has cast fresh doubt on the wisdom of swapping sugar for artificial sweeteners. Tracking more than 12,700 adults for eight years in a longitudinal study, researchers divided participants into three groups based on consumption of low- and no-calorie sweeteners—including aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol and sorbitol. Only tagatose, a naturally occurring […]
Swiss health declining, with poor sleep a leading problem
Fewer Swiss now say they are in good health. Only one in ten describe themselves as feeling very healthy, down from one in five when the insurer CSS began surveying well being in 2020. The decline is steepest among the young. Nearly half of those aged 18 to 35 report poor sleep, alongside exhaustion, loneliness […]
