One source of vitamin D is sunlight. Sunlight interacts with our skin to produce it. As winter approaches, the amount of sunlight we are exposed to and its intensity falls. This means that during the winter, we are more reliant on getting vitamin D from what we eat. Mushrooms are a key source. However, the […]
Widespread hygiene deficiencies in Swiss hospitals
According to a study by Swissmedic, there are deficiencies in the disinfection, sterilisation, packaging and storage of medical products in Swiss hospitals. The recently published report based on a study done in 2023 by Swissmedic shows that almost all of the 25 Swiss hospitals inspected have deficiencies in the disinfection, sterilisation, packaging and storage of […]
Mushroom picking warning heightened due to lack of antidote
Consuming some mushrooms can be deadly. The risk of fatality is even higher this mushroom season due to a shortage of antidote, warned tox info this week. According to RTS, around 100 people are poisoned by mushrooms a year. The toxic mushrooms for which there is currently no antidote are known as Death cap (Amanite […]
Rising number of Swiss report sleeping problems
In 2022, a third of Switzerland’s population suffered from challenges sleeping, up 5 percentage points from 1997, according to a survey by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The proportion of people with sleep disorders in Switzerland rose 5 percentage points over the 25 years between 1997 and 2022, with a significant rise starting in 2012. […]
Swiss to vote on biodiversity initiative
On 22 September 2024, the Swiss will vote on two popular initiatives. The first is the biodiversity initiative “For the future of our nature and our landscape”. The second is on a plan to reform Switzerland’s occupational pension system. Biodiversity, a term referring to the number of living organisms and the habitats that support them, […]
How to avoid death and injury from lightning
Switzerland is no stranger to violent storms, which sometime come out of nowhere when hiking in the mountains. According to experts, most people struck by lightning survive. But the risks of suffering long term damage are high, reported SRF. The electricity discharged by lightning can be as high as 100,000 amperes, according to Christian Franck, […]
A look back at Swiss resistance to seat belt laws
Thirty years ago, Switzerland introduced rules making it compulsory to wear seatbelts in any seat where seatbelts are fitted. This made wearing seatbelts in rear seats compulsory for the first time, reported RTS. Adding a requirement to wear rear seatbelts was met with little resistance. However, in 1980 when a referendum was run on whether […]
Swiss hospitals lost a billion francs in 2023
Switzerland’s health system is under strain. New drugs and treatments combined with an ageing population, along with cost inflation are the main drivers. This week, KPMG published a report quantifying the hole in Switzerland’s hospital finances. Only 30% (14) of the 48 hospitals and clinics surveyed reported generating a profit. The other 70% were running […]
Plans to use controversial death capsule in Switzerland
The first suicide in the controversial death capsule, dubbed “Sarco”, is set to take place in the next few weeks, reported SRF. Philip Nitschke, the Australian inventor of the device, has chosen Switzerland to launch the use of his invention. The pod, which creates an airtight space, fills with nitrogen upon the push of a […]
Swiss politicians discuss making patients pay larger share of medical bills
Switzerland’s system of compulsory health insurance already requires patients to pay a portion of medical bills in addition to paying premiums. To stem the rise in premiums, an old idea has resurfaced: make patients pay an even greater share of their medical costs. This week, some political parties voiced support for a higher minimum deductible, […]
