Projects
14.01.2025
Cochrane Library: Renewal of the national licence
Read more CloseThe SAMS renewed the national licence for the Cochrane Library for the year 2025. The Cochrane Library is available free of charge to professionals, but also to the Swiss population, enabling everyone to make informed health-related decisions thanks to reliable information.
The Cochrane network has been working together for almost 30 years to produce systematic reviews without any commercial funding. It summarizes research findings in the field of medical care and serve as a reliable basis for evidence-based medicine. The national licence is financed by the SAMS, the Federal Office of Public Health, the Swiss Medical Association as well as university libraries and hospitals. More information can be found on our website.
Further information
Academy
09.01.2025
Become a member of the Swiss Young Academy
Read more CloseThe Swiss Young Academy (SYA) brings together young researchers from a wide range of scientific disciplines. It creates an inspiring environment for inter- and transdisciplinary exchange. The current call for applications, with submission deadline on 28 February 2025, offers the opportunity to apply for a five-year membership.
The Swiss Young Academy consists currently of 42 members from different scientific disciplines and universities. They are regarded as the young voice of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences and can raise concerns relevant to the next generation of researchers. Are you interested in becoming actively involved in the largest scientific network in Switzerland? New members with a background in medical sciences are welcome to apply. Please visit the JAS website for more information on the requirements and application procedure.
Visit the website
Academy
02.01.2025
Handover: Arnaud Perrier is now President of the SAMS
Read more CloseAt the beginning of the year, Arnaud Perrier (left) took over the presidency from Henri Bounameaux. The latter will remain on the SAMS Executive Board as Vice President in order to actively support his successor. This ensures continuity within the SAMS.
Arnaud Perrier was elected as the new President of the SAMS by the Senate in June 2024. He has since familiarized himself with the Academy's tasks as a member of the Executive Board. The General Secretariat looks forward to working with this experienced clinician and clinical researcher, who was Medical Director at the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) until the end of 2024. Visit our portrait page to get to know all members of the SAMS Executive Board.
Visit the website
Academy
19.12.2024
Wishes for the New Year... Write to us!
Read more CloseThe gift list is as much a part of the Christmas tradition as the candlelight, the tree, the stockings and the candy canes. Making good resolutions is also closely linked to this time of the year. Inspired by these rituals, we are taking advantage of this last News of 2024 to ask you what you would like to see happen at the SAMS.
We will not be able to implement your suggestions overnight, but with an eye to our 2029–2032 multi-year plan, which we will prepare next year, we are interested in gathering a wide range of views. To find out how to take part and which thank-you gift we'll be offering, please read our Newsletter linked below. We look forward to hearing from you and wish you a peaceful end to the year and a happy 2025.
Further information
Ethics
17.12.2024
Advance care planning for emergencies: aiming for a standardized form
Read more CloseMedical emergencies require immediate action. At the same time, these must take into account the patient's wishes. To ensure this, various forms exist. A working group has analyzed existing documents and defined a first set of principles for a standardized form throughout Switzerland.
Advance care planning (ACP) can also be considered for acute emergencies. In contrast to an advance directive or a treatment plan, the form solely deals with situations that require an immediate decision about the use of medical measures. The SAMS has entrusted Professor Regina Aebi-Müller to clarify the legal significance of «medical orders for life-sustaining treatment». In her expert opinion, she states that the ACP form for emergency situations must be taken into account during treatment.
Legal opinion, French Version (PDF)
Funding
12.12.2024
Young Talents in Clinical Research: 15 grants awarded
Read more CloseWith the Young Talents in Clinical Research program, the Gottfried and Julia Bangerter-Rhyner Foundation and the SAMS encourage young medical doctors to start out in clinical research. At the end of the 2024 call for applications, 15 talented clinicians are supported with a total amount of CHF 959’702.
The YTCR program comprises two instruments: «beginner grants» provide protected time for research, while «project grants» finance a consecutive research project to broaden and consolidate the expertise acquired during the «beginner grant». This year, 14 «beginner grants» and one «project grant» were awarded. The next call for applications will be launched in spring 2025, with a submission deadline on 30 June 2025. For more information about the program and the list of grantees, please visit our website.
Flyer «Young Talents in Clinical Research» (PDF)
Funding
05.12.2024
KZS Fund: 3 Seed Grants for junior researchers in biomedical ethics
Read more CloseThe 2024 call from the Käthe Zingg-Schwichtenberg (KZS) Fund was thematically open and intended for junior researchers in biomedical ethics. 3 Seed Grants with a total amount of CHF 219’658 will allow grantees to explore an innovative research idea, to realize a small, independent pilot project and/or to prepare their own project proposal to be submitted to a larger funding agency.
The objective of the call was to support junior researchers in obtaining independent research experience, facilitating the transition to the next step of their academic career. Before the next call for proposals is launched, the SAMS will conduct a survey among previous recipients of the KZS Fund in order to evaluate the added value of the instrument. Results will be communicated via newsletter and on our website.
Synopsis of grantees (PDF)
Publications
26.11.2024
Not giving up on federalism, but rethinking it
Read more CloseShould health be anchored in the Swiss Constitution? Luca Crivelli, Full Professor of Health Economics and Policy at SUPSI, explores this topic in the lead article of our latest Bulletin. He shows how federalism shapes the current healthcare system and discusses the possibility of redistributing responsibilities between the Confederation and the cantons.
In addition, interviews reveal how Prof. Henri Bounameaux has perceived his time as SAMS President and what hurdles this year's laureate of the Stern-Gattiker Prize has overcome. The expansion of the Swiss Personalised Health Network (SPHN), the President of the Central Ethics Committee’s impressions of the Symposium on medical-ethical guidelines, the presentation of the new Senate’s members and the Seed Grants from the KZS Fund complete Bulletin 4/2024.
SAMS Bulletin 4/2024, French version (PDF)