Mammograms show the limits of the Swiss system

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Mammograms have greatly proven their effectiveness in the face of breast cancer. However, they are threatened by pressure on costs and dysfunctions of the Swiss health system.

Anna Wanner / CH media

Who knows no woman with breast cancer? Similarly, There are often even two or three in his entourage. Nevertheless, The mammograms show limits swiss system disease strikes more and more: There are 6,600 new cases each year. One woman in eight receives a diagnosis during her life.

The announcement of the disease always gives way to shock. Therefore, even if medicine has evolved a lot recently and therapies are now more effective.

Early cancer screening has also increased the chances of healing. Despite this, mammography has long been discredited: it produced many “false positives”. Consequently, In 2013. Moreover, the Swiss Medical Board saw it as a constraint for women, a psychic charge too high in the event of an erroneous diagnosis and a utility in the end therefore too low. Moreover, Consequence: Experts recommended that programs end.

Increase in chances of survival – Mammograms show limits swiss system

Several cantons have been over this recommendation. mammograms show limits swiss system Consequently, Fortunately. Moreover, Because the results and international evolution prove them right. Therefore, Mammography certainly cannot avoid all misfortunes. Meanwhile, But its quality has progressed. Moreover, Radiologists must meet high requirements. Therefore, Thus, each image is analyzed by two doctors.

Data from Graubünden and Saint-Gall prove that it works. The “Donna” program of the League against Cancer from Eastern Switzerland has halved the number of ablations in women. who are shown every two years from the age of 50. They also follow less often (30%) chemotherapy. For Rudolf Morant. president of the regional league:

The chances of survival also increase. More than 80% of women have continued to live more than ten years after a diagnosis. It is therefore up to the mammograms show limits swiss system limit of cynicism to discuss the merits of this prevention.

Women in Make the price

Only here. we always come back to the same observation: it is difficult to finance, so we cut into the programs. Health insurance funds seek to compress costs in a context of increased bonuses. Radiologists are not ready to examine a radio for 14 francs. And the debate is the perfect opportunity to express your frustration concerning our health system.

It is extremely regrettable that women pay the costs of these settlement of accounts between each other. Sometimes the constant pressure on costs seems to evacuate any form of common sense. Screening reaches all women, regardless of their social background or their means. Health insurance funds and cantons take almost all of the campaigns.

Logically, healthy patients need less expensive therapies. They therefore have less to pay, and insurance and public funds take advantage of it. From an economic point of view, the advantages of a healthy working population prevail.

Vicious circle

But it is a vicious circle: in Switzerland, health insurance pays … in case of illness. Funding for prevention and health promotion is a huge obstacle. The last attempt to create a national prevention law failed Parliament over ten years ago. This is why we continue indefinitely to ask who must pay for efforts to reduce diabetes. obesity or cancer and all that these diseases generate.

In the case of mammography. this question arises with all the more acuity since there are cantonal differences: Appenzelloises are mammograms show limits swiss system more likely to be treated thanks to the early detection of breast cancer than the Obwaldians. Studies show that without preventive examination. The size of the tumor and the development of metastases are more advanced at the time of diagnosis. Nothing can justify this injustice. You have to correct it.

The mammography then takes the value of a test:

The solution is in our hands. Basically, everyone would like us to continue screening. The sickness funds, cantons and practitioners must agree. In the name of women’s health.

(Translated. adapted by Valentine Zenker)