Equal access to free breast cancer screening in all cantons!
Please sign the petition for free preventive mammography for the early diagnosis of breast cancer for ALL women in Switzerland!
On behalf of the 1,900 members of Soroptimist International Union Switzerland, and on behalf of all women living in Switzerland, we call for the immediate introduction of a free mammography screening program for the early diagnosis of breast cancer in all cantons that do not yet have one, and for its continuation in the cantons where it already exists.
Every year, one woman out of eight is diagnosed with breast cancer. In Switzerland, 6,600 women receive this diagnosis each year, and more than 1,400 die because it was discovered too late. These figures highlight the urgency of determined action to strengthen prevention and early diagnosis.
Today, almost half of the cantons still do not have a free breast cancer screening program, while thousands of very small tumors are diagnosed every year thanks to existing programs.
This is not only a public health issue, but a fundamental right of women to benefit from free early diagnosis, as guaranteed by Article 41, paragraph 1, letter b of the Federal Constitution. Unfortunately, many women give up this right due to a lack of sufficient financial means. This inequality in access to early screening is unacceptable.
The political world must now assume its responsibilities and guarantee all women living in Switzerland fair access to prevention and early diagnosis of breast cancer, in every canton.
As of January 1, 2026, a new medical tariff has come into force. Under the pretext that mammography examinations will cost too much, some cantons have blocked the launch of the free screening program. The price of this examination has nothing to do with the tariff, because it is a political cost, not a tariff-related one.
Convinced that your commitment will help save the lives of women in Switzerland, we kindly ask you to support our petition for preventive screening for the early diagnosis of breast cancer for all women in Switzerland with your signature.
To learn more:
- Swisscancerscreening: https://www.swisscancerscreening.ch/de/krebs-frueherkennung/brust/fakten-zu-brustkrebs
- https://www.senologie.ch/service/app-der-zauberbaum/
- https://www.krebsliga.ch/
- ESMO Open -Study: Cantons avec ou sans screening/ Kantone mit und ohne Screening; Gutzeit et al. 2024, https://www.esmoopen.com/article/S2059-7029(24)01482-0/fulltext
- https://www.unisante.ch/fr/propos-dunisante/actualites/performances-programmes-depistage-du-cancer-du-sein-suisse-varient-dun
Dr. med. Jolanta Jozefowski, Präsidentin Soroptimist Interntional Schweiz Contact the author of the petition