Academy
28.06.2022
Reducing the environmental impact of health services
Read more CloseWhile human health is certainly adversely affected by climate change, the health system itself is also partly responsible for the current environmental crisis. How can we rethink health services so that they respect planetary boundaries? The new SAMS position paper is dedicated to this urgent question.
The paper formulates seven proposals with three overarching goals: reducing the use of health services, adapting healthcare practices and improving the environmental efficiency of health services. The document aims to raise awareness among health actors at every level, inspiring them to develop concrete, context-specific measures designed to reduce their environmental footprint.
Position paper (in French and German) (PDF)
Funding
23.06.2022
Stern-Gattiker Prize 2022: The SAMS recognises two female role models
Read more CloseWith the Stern-Gattiker Prize, the SAMS is making female role models more visible, so as to motivate young women to pursue an academic career. This year, the prize has been awarded to Vanessa Banz (Bern) and Susanne Wegener (Zurich). Both are compelling as strong women who encourage others to successfully combine science and clinical work.
To ensure that sufficient medical scientists are available over the medium and longer term, it is essential that more women pursue a career in academic medicine. To enhance the visibility of female role models, the SAMS has established the Stern-Gattiker Prize in 2018. Further information on the Prize and the two laureates can be found on our website and in the media release published today.
Media release in French (PDF)
Ethics
10.06.2022
Reproductive medicine: preimplantation genetic testing
Read more CloseIn 2020, the SAMS published the recommendations «Preimplantation genetic testing PGT», which address ethical aspects of the PGT counselling and decision-making. Their aim is to contribute to consistent good clinical practice in Switzerland. A recent evaluation shows that no new knowledge has been gained since 2020. The recommendations therefore remain in force without any changes.
The review followed the recent publication by the National Advisory Commission on Biomedical Ethics (NCE) of guidelines that specify the legal framework for PGT. The NCE refers in part to the recommendations of the SAMS, but comes to different conclusions on a few points, particularly with regard to the management of surplus information. The SAMS, on the other hand, adheres to its medical-ethical recommendations of 2020: no new knowledge has been acquired that could lead to different conclusions in the ethical weighing of interests.
Download the recommendations (PDF)
Academy
08.06.2022
New members in the Senate and the Executive Board
Read more CloseThis year the Senate elected 10 people from various disciplines and institutions as new individual and honorary members. There are also changes in the SAMS Executive Board: The Senate elected 3 new members to replace the same number of vacancies. Further, George Thalmann succeeds Daniel Scheidegger as vice-president of the SAMS.
The Senate is the supreme organ of the SAMS. It is composed of about 250 persons. 5 people were elected as individual members for their scientific excellence, 5 people were elected as honorary members for their outstanding services to the promotion of science, the health system and/or the SAMS. All names can be found in our newsletter of 7 June 2022 (in French).
Further information
Funding
03.06.2022
Robert Bing Prize in neurosciences 2022: call for nominations
Read more CloseThe SAMS is launching a call for nominations for the Robert Bing Prize. The Bing Prize is awarded to authors of outstanding work that has advanced the diagnosis, treatment and cure of diseases of the nervous system. Nominations can be submitted by a third party or an academic institution. The submission deadline is 31 August 2022.
In accordance with the donor’s will, the Robert Bing Prize is awarded primarily to young (up to 45 years old) neuroscientists with the Swiss nationality or who have been working in Switzerland for a significant amount of time. The prize is awarded every two years with a prize money of CHF 50’000.– for a single laureate or CHF 30’000.– each if two laureates are distinguished simultaneously. All information about the Prize, the format and the submission of nominations can be found on our website.
Synopsis of past laureates (PDF)
SPHN
31.05.2022
SPHN and PHRT support 4 National Data Streams
Read more CloseIn 2021, the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) and the Personalized Health and Related Technologies (PHRT) initiative from the ETH Domain jointly launched the call for National Data Streams (NDS). The 4 selected NDS projects will start in summer 2022.
NDS build central pillars of the SPHN health data ecosystem and the PHRT research platforms. In the long term, they shall serve as models and crystallization points for future research programs and clinical applications of personalized health. In addition, all NDS projects will involve patients and the public. For more information, please visit the SPHN website.
Visit the website
SPHN
24.05.2022
SPHN has launched a call for Demonstrator projects
Read more CloseThe Swiss Personalized Health Network has launched a call for «Demonstrator projects». These projects must demonstrate the added value of infrastructures, processes and frameworks developed within SPHN. Submission deadline for applications is 31 August 2022.
Importantly, Demonstrator projects shall not build new infrastructure from scratch, but consolidate what has been started, complement missing links, and assess applicability and impact on clinical decision making and personalized health research. In total, SPHN will allocate approximately CHF 3.7 million for Demonstrator projects. Funding requires matching contributions by the applicant institutions. For more information on the call, including all necessary documents for applicants, please visit the SPHN website.
Visit the website
Ethics
19.05.2022
Guidelines on «dying and death» in the FMH Association’s Code
Read more CloseThe Medical Chamber of the Swiss Medical Association (FMH) decided today that the SAMS guidelines on «Management of dying and death» are to be incorporated into the Association’s Code. The SAMS welcomes this decision, as the situation prevailing since 2018 – with two sets of guidelines in force – had given rise to uncertainty among physicians. The broadly accepted document is now available online.
The medical-ethical guidelines on this topic published by the SAMS in 2018 have not hitherto formed part of the FMH Code. The delay in their adoption was due to the controversy which arose in 2018 over the subsection on assisted suicide (6.2 and 6.2.1). Since then, this chapter and the terms used therein have been reviewed in depth by a joint working group, with various clarifications being made. The guidelines on «Management of dying and death» (2018, revised in 2021) are available in English, French, German and Italian. More information can be found on our website.
Download the guidelines (PDF)