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Prevention can save lives. But cancer prevention is a matter for the cantons – and therefore different. Cancer organizations even speak of unequal opportunities for those affected.
Cancer cases are increasing worldwide. The WHO estimates that 21.6 million people will develop cancer by 2030. The disease leads the death statistics in many countries. In Switzerland, cancer is the second most common cause of death – among men between the ages of 45 and 84 and among women between the ages of 25 and 84 it is even the most common – especially under 65 years of age.
System change since 2020
Between 2014 and 2020, the Federal Council launched a national cancer strategy. Prevention measures and early detection programs have been developed and investments have been made in cancer care and research. Then came the system change. Cancer diseases have been included in the national strategy to combat so-called non-communicable diseases.
“This strategy no longer focuses on individual diseases, the focus is on the risk of disease,” says BAG spokesman Daniel Dauwalder.
Known risks include:
- unbalanced food
- Too little movement
- much alcohol
- Smoking
If you minimize these risks, you can massively reduce the probability of developing cancer, explains Dauwalder.
Although we have a high level of health care, the question remains whether every Swiss franc is being used optimally.
Cancer organizations warn that since 2020 the important prevention work has not been sufficiently coordinated between the cantons. Because cancer prevention, especially through early detection, can save lives. The EU even speaks of around 40 percent of cancer cases that could be avoided through effective prevention strategies. A current Gfs survey in Switzerland shows that the majority of respondents are against the fact that there is no longer a national cancer strategy.
The early detection programs in the cantons vary, especially for the most common types of cancer, such as breast or colon cancer. In those cantons with so-called screening programs, it may be the case that examinations required for colon cancer screening, for example, are exempt from the deductible. In cantons without programs, the examination is taken over by the health insurance company, but with a high deductible the person concerned still has to dig deep into their pockets.
Early detection programs by canton
«There are inequalities. Although we have a high level of health care, the question remains whether every Swiss franc is being used optimally. The federal government says so itself. We believe that if you coordinate, you can ultimately get more out of people,” says Jakob Passweg, President of Oncosuisse.
If the Prevention Act had not been rejected 10 years ago, the federal government would now have the opportunity to support cancer organizations.
Politics wants to act
The cancer organizations are now working on the so-called “Master Plan 2030”. The goal is to formulate solutions to improve early detection, treatment, aftercare, data collection and research in cancer diseases – throughout Switzerland. The results are to be shared with the federal government and the cantons. However, there are limits to this work because the organizations have to finance it themselves.
“The federal government has no basis to support these organizations. If the Prevention Act had not been rejected 10 years ago, the federal government would have the opportunity to do so today,” says BAG spokesman Daniel Dauwalder.
Marina Carobbio, Ticino SP Councilor, wants to put dealing with cancer back on the political agenda. The Federal Council recently answered her interpellation in favor of a new national cancer plan in the negative, but the matter is apparently not completely off the table. In an oral supplement in the Council of States, Minister of Health Alain Berset admitted that there is a need to discuss whether the fight against cancer is well integrated into the national prevention strategy against non-infectious diseases.