Since the beginning of March, Swiss health insurance companies have been covering the cost of Wegovy, a weight loss product, reported SRF. Previously, Ozempic, a drug also used by diabetics, was being prescribed for weight loss. Going forward, it is expected that the drugs Wegovy and Saxenda will be prescribed for weight loss instead of […]
Swiss parliament rejects tobacco advertising ban proposal
A proposal to implement the tobacco advertising ban that was accepted in a referendum by a majority voters in February 2022, was rejected by parliament this week, reported RTS. Some on the left argued it was too lax, while some on the right complained that it was too strict. The referendum wording is focused on […]
Skiers are going faster on Swiss slopes
Skiers in Switzerland are travelling faster. A significant number are now clocking speeds in excess of 100 kilometres an hour, reported RTS. Over a quarter of the Swiss population engages in winter sports annually. Unfortunately, around 33,000 employees are injured a year at a cost of CHF 307 million, according to accident insurer Suva. One […]
Swiss doctor shortage – hardest hit regions
As the baby boomer generation retires staff shortages are emerging. Family doctors is one profession particularly hard hit due to training bottle necks and the challenges of the role. A report by RTS shows that the district of Franches-Montagnes in the Jura has one sixth of the per capita number of family doctors as Lausanne. […]
Is there more illness this winter or are we imagining it?
If you feel there is an unusually high number of people coming down with flu, colds and other viruses this winter then you are not imagining it, according to an infectious disease expert at Lausanne’s CHUV hospital. Speaking to RTS, Dr. Laurence Senn said there are lot more people suffering from infectious disease this winter […]
Dengue fever cases in Switzerland on the rise post Covid
Over the last two years the number of dengue fever cases registered in Switzerland has increased tenfold to 261, reported SRF. In 2021 only 26 cases were recorded across Switzerland. Claudio Zaugg at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) said that the strong increase reflects low numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Swiss dengue cases […]
Switzerland is running out of 200 drugs. Why?
Hundreds of medications have become difficult or impossible to obtain in Switzerland, according to SRF. What is causing these shortages? In around 200 cases, drug shortages in Switzerland are critical and affect some commonly used products, including antibiotics, sedatives, vaccines and medicines for diabetics. A long list of medications subject to shortages can be found […]
Canton of Basel bans sale of certain e-cigarettes after tests
After testing 32 disposable e-cigarettes, the cantonal laboratory in Basel-City found issues with all of them and issued a sales ban on seven, which contain toxic substances, reported SRF. The e-cigarettes were obtained from 12 sales outlets in the city. The problems detected include nicotine above the maximum legal limit, lead in metal joints, toxins […]
The high cost of training Swiss doctors
Switzerland has a shortage of doctors. Training more is one way the government hopes to alleviate the problem. However, the high cost of training and the high level of staff turnover are formidable head winds. In Switzerland, becoming a doctor requires six years of study. At an average annual cost of CHF 120,000, the total […]
Covid – top Swiss doctor urges more vaccination
The top doctor for the canton of Bern recommends that people aged 65 and over and people with chronic illnesses be vaccinated again, reported SRF. Barbara Grützmacher, Bern’s chief doctor, said that there are currently a lot of viruses circulating. The most common are coronaviruses and rhinoviruses. Flu cases are also increasing. And the current […]
