Funding
06.12.2022
Young Talents in Clinical Research: 14 grants for young medical doctors
Read more CloseWith the «Young Talents in Clinical Research» (YTCR) programme launched in 2017, the Gottfried and Julia Bangerter-Rhyner Foundation and the SAMS aim at encouraging young medical doctors to start out in clinical research. 14 grants have been awarded among the 43 proposals submitted within the 2022 call.
During the sixth call for proposals, the SAMS evaluation committee proposed to support 14 promising young clinician scientists. The Bangerter Foundation approved the awards for a total of CHF 1 million. You can find the list of grantees and supported projects in the synopsis below (PDF). The next YTCR call will be opened at the end of March 2023.
Synopsis of grantees (PDF)
Ethics
01.12.2022
Public Consultation: Guidelines «Living Donation»
Read more CloseLiving donation presents an exceptional medical-ethical situation: A healthy person undergoes a surgical intervention to donate an organ or parts thereof to another person. In order to help health professionals deal with the questions and challenges related to this complex medical procedure, the SAMS published medical-ethical guidelines in 2008. These have been revised and are open for public consultation until 1 March 2023.
Developments in the field of living organ donation and the revision of the Federal Act on the Transplantation of Organs, Tissues and Cells required revisions to the existing guidelines. An interdisciplinary subcommittee including both donor and recipient representatives has updated and revised the guidelines. Interested organizations and individuals are invited to submit feedback. The necessary documents can be found on our website.
Visit the website
Academy
30.11.2022
Bi-academic exchange between France and Switzerland
Read more CloseIn October 2022, members of the Senate of the SAMS and of the Académie Nationale de Médecine (France) met virtually. The topics discussed by one expert from each country were the lessons to be learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, the medicine of tomorrow and the end of life. Relive these moments.
The SAMS maintains formal and informal contacts with its sister academies abroad. The bi-academic meeting that took place a few weeks ago via zoom was a first of its kind. You can find a short report and the full video of the event on our website (in French).
Visit the website
SPHN
24.11.2022
SPHN supports 11 Demonstrator projects
Read more CloseIn 2022, the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) launched a call for Demonstrator projects. These projects shall test the infrastructures, processes, and data resources established in the realm of SPHN to demonstrate their added value for the network and to identify the remaining gaps. From a total of 30 project applications, 11 Demonstrator projects will be supported.
Within the funded Demonstrators, two types of projects are supported: On the one hand, projects that test the practical application of SPHN infrastructure components in medical research and/or expand their use in the network. On the other hand, projects that demonstrate the added value of SPHN-compliant data resources from the university hospitals. A total of CHF 4.3 million will be allocated to the Demonstrator projects; SPHN funding requires matching funds from the participating institutions. Details can be found on the SPHN website.
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Publications
22.11.2022
Translating medical research findings into practice more effectively
Read more CloseOnly a small proportion of the findings of medical research are incorporated into everyday practice in the health system. Implementation science aims to identify and overcome obstacles encountered along the implementation trajectory. The SAMS has sponsored a series of events on this topic, with a conference report being published in 2022. Find out how new scientific knowledge can be more easily translated into practice.
The practical application of medical research findings is often impeded by the constraints of everyday practice. It is essential to gain an in-depth knowledge of the context in which an innovation is to be introduced and to adopt an interprofessional approach in order to understand the routines employed in practice and the working climate within an organisation. It is also important to identify at an early stage the stakeholders who need to be involved. You can find more information in the report (d/f) and on our website (e).
Report (in French) (PDF)
Projects
21.11.2022
100 years of salt iodisation is a cause for celebration
Read more CloseThe iodine added to table salt plays an important role in our health. Iodine deficiency can give rise to health problems such as cretinism or goitre. In October 2022, the SAMS Fluoride and Iodine Commission and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) organised a symposium to celebrate 100 years of salt iodisation in Switzerland. The presentations are now available online, providing information on the importance and history of salt iodisation.
The SAMS Fluoride and Iodine Commission deals with scientific, technical and policy questions arising in connection with dietary fluoride and iodine intake. It brings together experts from Swiss universities (nutrition, gynaecology, internal medicine, dentistry, endocrinology, epidemiology), representatives of the federal administration, cantonal physicians and the Swiss Salt Works. The 100th anniversary provides an opportunity to revive the discussion on measures to safeguard and improve the iodine status of the Swiss population.
Further information
Funding
10.11.2022
The KZS Fund supports 4 projects on moral distress among the healthcare workforce
Read more CloseThe Käthe Zingg-Schwichtenberg Fund (KZS Fund) supports research projects in biomedical ethics. With the 2022 call for proposals, the SAMS invited researchers to examine the question of moral distress among healthcare professionals. Of the 15 projects submitted, 4 have been selected for funding. They will contribute to examine, from the point of view of clinical and public health ethics, the roots of the frustration of health professionals in Switzerland.
«Moral distress» encompasses experiences in which healthcare professionals are unable to act in an ethically appropriate manner or are involved in a situation that is perceived as morally undesirable. The impact of moral distress on the individuals involved, and on the healthcare system, has been studied internationally. However, solid data and a thorough medical-ethical discussion are still largely lacking in the Swiss context. 4 projects are funded with a total of CHF 267,841 to fill this gap. The synopsis (pdf) gives an overview of all the projects supported by the KZS Fund. More information can be found on our website.
Download the synopsis (PDF)
Ethics
25.10.2022
Weighing of interests in animal experiment applications
Read more CloseResearchers who wish to conduct an animal experiment in Switzerland must submit a formal application. According to the Animal Protection Act, it is their duty to make ethical considerations in addition to scientific ones. This is done by weighing interests. The Ethics Committee for Animal Experimentation has updated the guidance for researchers to adapt it to the current framework conditions.
The application procedure requires researchers to demonstrate that the trial is adequate, necessary and appropriate to achieve the intended purpose. For example, the expected gain in knowledge must be weighed against the distress to the animals: pain, harm, suffering and fear. The updated guidance supports researchers in the final weighing of interests. The publication is available in three languages (d/f/e) and can be ordered free of charge as a printed brochure.
Download the guide (PDF)