SPHN
19.09.2023
Report on the consolidation of SPHN infrastructures
Read more CloseThe Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) coordinates the development of infrastructures for the responsible use of health-related data in research throughout Switzerland. Today, a new Academies report is published describing the requirements for a sustainable continuation of the data infrastructures and of the coordination work after the end of the initiative in 2024.
The comprehensive report shows how the continuation of the SPHN Data Coordination Center (SPHN-DCC) can be ensured beyond 2024, including the non-central support structures at the university hospitals and universities. Special attention is paid to the numerous interfaces with partners from research, healthcare and administration. The report, written in English with a summary in French and German, can be downloaded here. More information and other SPHN publications are available on our project page.
Download report (PDF)
Projects
04.09.2023
Innovation Qualité: a prize to promote quality in healthcare
Read more CloseThe «Innovation Qualité» Prize of the Swiss Academy for Quality in Medicine (ASQM), a FMH-related organisation, is intended to highlight tried and tested projects, make knowledge in the field more visible and provide innovative impetus for debate among specialists. The SAMS supports this prize.
The diversity of quality initiatives in Switzerland is taken into account with three different categories: Digital Innovation; Patient Safety and «Jury’s Special Prize». The prize money ranges from CHF 10’000 to CHF 15’000. The deadline for entries is 4 December 2023, and the prizes will be awarded on 24 May 2024 in Berne. Further information can be found on the ASQM website (French, German, Italian).
Visit the website
Publications
29.08.2023
Revised guidelines: Living donation of solid organs
Read more CloseIn living donation, a healthy person provides an organ for transplantation to help another person (usually relatives). The complex medical-ethical questions that arise in such situations are dealt with in the SAMS guidelines «Living donation of solid organs». The guidelines from 2008 have been revised and are now available as a free download in four languages.
Healthy people can donate certain organs, mostly a kidney, more rarely part of the liver. For the health professionals involved, the clarifications surrounding such a living donation are challenging and medical-ethical guidelines provide guidance. The guidelines published today are based on the current legal framework and take into account various developments in the field of living donation. You can find more information on our topic page in the Ethics menu.
Download the guidelines (PDF)
SPHN
24.08.2023
The SPHN Management Office is hiring
Read more CloseThe Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) coordinates the establishment of data infrastructures for the responsible use of health-related data for research in Switzerland. Starting from 1 January 2024 or upon agreement, the SPHN Management Office is looking for a new team member as Legal Officer. The deadline for applications is 24 September 2023.
The diverse responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, setting up contractual frameworks and processes in SPHN compliant with Swiss and international regulation on data protection and research with humans. Please see the job posting for more details and the contact persons for questions. More information about SPHN can be found on the website.
Job posting (PDF)
Publications
22.08.2023
SAMS Bulletin 3/2023: Focus on patients
Read more CloseThe third Bulletin of this year is characterized by the view that patients have of the health system and, in particular, of research. Prof. Sebastian Tobler, author of the focus, has been living with paraplegia since his bicycle accident in 2013. He gives us an insight into his very personal research projects and impressively conveys what lies behind supposedly modest successes.
The two patient partners Christine Bienvenu and Jennifer Woods have also turned their illness into a profession. Both are convinced that the human dimension is not sufficiently present in medicine and research. Their double interview will shed light on the possibilities for improvement that they see. As usual, the Bulletin also reports on progress in the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) and the work in our Ethics and Funding departments.
Bulletin 3/2023, French edition (PDF)
SPHN
11.07.2023
SPHN: Legal framework established for National Data Streams
Read more CloseThe Swiss Personalized Health Network and its partner initiative «Personalized Health and Related Technologies» (PHRT) from the ETH Domain have reached a milestone for the National Data Streams (NDS): the establishment of contractual framework conditions between multiple institutions. The contracts clarify the use of sensitive data within the planned research projects and enable their re-use by third parties.
Each of the 4 NDS comprises a multidisciplinary consortium investing in the development of sustainable data infrastructures for personalized health research. Besides generating scientific output, NDS will foremost enable the reuse of curated high-quality datasets. This benefits the next generation of researchers and clinicians and is an added value for Switzerland on its way to the responsible use of sensitive data for research. For more information, please visit the SPHN website.
Visit the website
Funding
05.07.2023
The national MD-PhD program supports 15 medical doctors interested in research
Read more CloseThis year, 15 talented young doctors receive a national MD-PhD grant to realize a doctorate in natural sciences, public health, clinical research or biomedical ethics at a Swiss university. Two new foundations have joined the program's funding partners. Grants cover the salaries of the beneficiaries for a total amount of over CHF 2.6 million.
Of the 24 applications preselected by the associated local MD-PhD committees, 15 young researchers have been awarded an individual grant. The synopsis of grantees gives an overview of supported projects. The grants are funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, Swiss Cancer Research, the SAMS, the Théodore Ott Fund, the Zinkernagel Research Foundation and the Monique Dornonville de la Cour Foundation. To ensure the program’s future, the SAMS is actively looking for new partners. More information and the contact person can be found on our website.
Synopsis of grantees (PDF)
Publications
20.06.2023
A Swiss cohort with biobank: why and how?
Read more CloseWe live in an era when public health innovations are more likely to contribute to improving our quality of life than medical progress. That's why Switzerland absolutely needs a national cohort with a biobank to underpin its public health research. The focus in the SAMS Bulletin 2/2023 provides an overview of existing Swiss cohort studies and presents a successful model abroad: the UK Biobank.
The conclusion of the focus author Prof. Nicole Probst-Hensch is clear: we need a cohort from Switzerland for Switzerland in order to take evidence-based measures in medicine, administration and politics. Read more about this in the SAMS Bulletin 2/2023. As usual, the Bulletin also reports on our work in the Association of Academies, in the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) and in our Ethics and Funding departments.
Bulletin 2/2023, French edition (PDF)