On Monday, a referendum in Switzerland aiming to ban the use of all synthetic pesticides was launched. The popular vote, which collected the required 100,000 signatures in 2016, is scheduled for 2020, according to RTS. The pesticides that would be banned include glyphosate and neonicotinoids, a group of chemicals known to kill bees. Vote organisers […]
Drug makers paid Swiss doctors 12.5 million francs in 2017
Since 2016, drug makers have voluntarily published the amounts they pay to Swiss doctors, many of whom prescribe drugs to patients. In 2017 the sum was CHF 12.5 million, according to the association Science Industries. In 2016, the same figure was CHF 14 million. While drug makers publish the amounts paid, the information published does […]
Switzerland an ideal environment for the sale and consumption of drugs
A recent report by Addiction Suisse says Switzerland has created the ideal environment for the sale and consumption of drugs. The report points out the easy availability of drugs in Switzerland. It says illegal drugs can be found quickly, easily and cheaply in Swiss cities. In addition, legal drugs are available around the clock in […]
Sick animal meat ends up in restaurants
Last weekend, government staff from numerous EU countries were running around trying to find the meat of potentially sick animals illegally slaughtered in Poland and sold across the EU, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. While the hunt to identify the meat and pull it from shop shelves was underway, authorities in Poland confirmed that […]
Swiss health authority now recommends vaccinating against tick borne encephalitis
This week, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) issued a statement recommending vaccination against tick borne encephalitis for those living in or visiting nearly all of Switzerland. The vaccination is recommended for all people exposed to ticks in Switzerland and anyone living in or visiting any Swiss canton other than the cantons of Geneva […]
Vaccination against tick borne encephalitis now covered by Swiss health insurance
In the face of a rapid rise in the number of infections, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has confirmed to various media, including RTS, that vaccination against tick borne encephalitis is now covered by basic Swiss health insurance. Page 7 of this PDF issued by FOPH shows a list of vaccinations covered […]
Question: Many parents hope their children will have lots of choice in life. But is this a recipe for happiness?
Dan Gilbert, the author of “Stumbling on Happiness,” challenges this idea. Gilbert thinks choice is the enemy of happiness and cites research to support his conclusions. For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Be careful eating Chinese fondue, says Swiss food safety agency
Chinese fondue is a culinary crossover between two nations. A dish that exists in both China and Switzerland. The Swiss version retains the communal pot of hot broth, thinly sliced raw meat and Chinese mushrooms of the original but departs radically in terms of flavour. The Chinese one uses chili, sesame and soya, while the […]
Toblerone quietly becomes halal
The iconic Swiss chocolate Toblerone quietly became halal earlier this year, according to the newspaper SonntagsBlick. Owned by the American food company Mondelez, Toblerone chocolate has been produced in conformity with islamic law since April 2018, said the newspaper. The product is not labelled halal. The recipe, which contains sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa […]
Swiss supermarkets selling products with no country of origin on label
Even when labelled properly food labels provide precious little information on what a product might contain. For example, a piece of farmed salmon will typically be labelled only with its country of origin, containing no information on what the fish has been fed. Contaminated fish feed can significantly push up the level of dioxins found […]
