Ethics
09.10.2024
Call for Abstracts: 19th International Conference on Clinical Ethics and Consultation (ICCEC)
Read more CloseThe 2025 International Conference on Clinical Ethics and Consultation (ICCEC) will take place in Lausanne from 5 to 7 June 2025. Under the title «Plurality, Power, and Patient Care», it will focus on the socio-political dimensions of clinical ethics.
The SAMS supports the 2025 Conference financially and ideally and would welcome Swiss contributions to be made to the conference. Abstracts can be submitted until Friday 25 October 2024 on the website. That is also where further information can be found regarding the ICCEC and the submission of abstracts.
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Academy
07.10.2024
AcaMedia Retreat: Register now
Read more CloseThe project «Navigating the Media as Early Career Academics (AcaMedia)» of the Swiss Young Academy aims to explore the multifaceted challenges, advantages, and risks encountered by ECRs when engaging with the media. The culmination of this project is a two-day retreat on 24 & 25 January 2025 at the Kongresszentrum Kreuz in Bern.
The retreat is open to up to 20 interested early-career researchers and will provide tailored media training, but also a space to collectively reflect upon systemic issues linked to media appearances. It will hence distinguish itself from existing media training offers, which mainly aim to optimize individual communication, as it will also create space for critical reflection on media appearances themselves. The retreat will combine theoretical knowledge and hands-on tips, as well as practical exercises for those who would like to address specific skill sets or issues. You can register until 20 October 2024 via the website.
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Ethics
30.09.2024
Lawfulness of the guidelines on management of dying and death
Read more CloseThe Public Prosecutor's Office of the Canton of Berne has decided to dismiss a complaint filed against the SAMS and the FMH. The plaintiffs considered a chapter of the medical-ethical guidelines «Management of dying and death» to be unlawful. The SAMS sees this decision as a reinforcement of the role of the ethical standards attributed to its medical-ethical guidelines.
On 23 November 2023, a criminal complaint was brought against the SAMS and the FMH, claiming that the guidelines «Management of dying and death», as amended in 2021, placed doctors in a dilemma: either they were obliged to act against their conscience in certain cases and not provide assisted suicide, or they risked being expelled from the FMH. In its ruling of 19 August 2024, the public prosecutor's office of the Canton of Bern clearly rejected these accusations. Its conclusion was based in part on the legal opinion drawn up by Prof. Franziska Sprecher from July 2024 on behalf of the SAMS.
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SPHN
20.09.2024
Cantonal hospitals are joining SPHN
Read more CloseThe Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) has launched a new program to integrate cantonal hospitals in its network. By participating in the SPHN network, the hospitals can now standardize and securely share consented health data. This step is key for advancing multi-site research in personalized medicine.
The hospitals participating are the Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Cantonal Hospital Aarau, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Cantonal Hospital Baden, and Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen. Additionally, the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, a non-profit organization, is also joining the initiative. This collaboration marks a significant advancement in personalized medicine promoting better healthcare outcomes for all.
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Projects
16.09.2024
One Health: a holistic approach to human, animal and environmental health
Read more CloseThe SAMS is committed to promoting a holistic understanding of health in Switzerland in the sense of One Health. A multimedia web report highlights the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health in an impressive way. With the financial and staff support of the SAMS, the «One Health Story» could also be realised in French.
The publication of the French version is reason enough to recall the project that was awarded the 2022 «Prix Média» by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. In seven chapters, various aspects of the One Health concept are explored in depth using text, illustrations, videos and audio. Visit the website to learn more about zoonoses, ways to prevent pandemics or why nature is systematically relevant for our health.
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Ethics
04.09.2024
Symposium «Governing by Values»: Medical-ethical guidelines in transition
Read more CloseTogether with the University of Bern, the SAMS organized a symposium on 3 September 2024 on the significance, legitimacy and further development of the guidelines. Various presentations from the conference are available online.
The symposium was based on the SNSF project «Governing by Values». It examined the history of the SAMS guidelines from a historical and legal perspective. In addition to questions relating to the legal framework, the symposium reflected on the current relevance and utility of the guidelines. Some of the presentations (in German and French) can be found on our website. The SAMS will publish a report on the relevance of the guidelines. The results of the SNSF project will be published by the researchers in due course.
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Publications
27.08.2024
Clinical research: the CPCR at a crossroads
Read more CloseThe national Coordination Platform Clinical Research (CPCR) is intended to strengthen the dialogue between the public actors of clinical research in Switzerland in the broader sense, to better harmonise their objectives and to clarify responsibilities. The focus of the current SAMS Bulletin shows how far this initiative has progressed, what challenges there are and what role the CPCR could play in the future.
You can also look forward to an interview with Franziska Sprecher on the legal status of the SAMS medical-ethical guidelines and find out how the Swiss Personalised Health Network (SPHN) is moving into the consolidation phase. In addition, there is news from our Senate and about our funding programs and prizes.
Bulletin 3/2024, French version (PDF)
Projects
21.08.2024
SAMS podcast on the Federal Health Act
Read more CloseIn its statement of May 2024, the SAMS proposed anchoring health in a constitutional article and drafting a Federal Health Act on this basis. In the «Morgen:Rapport» podcast, Daniel Scheidegger, former President of the SAMS, talks about this idea, its purpose and the urgency of rethinking health issues.
An article on health in the Federal Constitution would have to take into account the «One Health» approach, at the interface between humans, animals and the environment and promote the concept of «Health in all Policies». A Federal Health Act should strengthen prevention and health promotion, as well as guaranteeing care and effective governance. Daniel Scheidegger explains how this will improve the Swiss healthcare system with some surprising comparisons with other sectors. Visit the Morgen:Rapport to listen to the podcast in German.
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