Switzerland sends a strong signal for greater diversity and inclusion in research

When it comes to heart attacks, long COVID, mental illnesses or pain diagnostics, the manner in which symptoms are recognised, diagnoses made, or treatments pursued often depends in part on whether sex and gender, i.e. biological attribution and socio-cultural factors, are taken into account. The fact is that sex and gender influence how diseases develop, are detected, treated and prevented, and how health is promoted. Despite this, these two dimensions are still not being sufficiently taken into account when it comes to research and practice. The National Research Programme "Gender Medicine and Health" (NRP 83) aims to close this gap. It is lending support to scientific integrity, the social relevance of gender and its impact on the Swiss healthcare system.

Greater diversity in research: 19 projects get under way

In spring 2025, 19 research projects were launched as part of the NRP 83 programme. Brief descriptions of each are now available on the programme website www.nrp83.ch. These descriptions provide insight into what the research teams are working on and how their results will ideally contribute to making health research, medicine and public health more inclusive. Through NRP 83, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) is making targeted investments on behalf of the Swiss Federal Council in research that takes living situations and health needs in all their many forms seriously.

High level of interest indicates relevance and urgency

The strong response to the programme’s call for projects confirms the importance and urgency of the subject: in spring 2024, the SNSF received a total of 140 project outlines for NRP 83 from the humanities, social sciences, life sciences and clinical sciences – a comparatively high number of project submissions for a national research programme. "Through NRP 83, we are demonstrating that taking into account the biological and social dimensions of gender is not a nice-to-have, but a must-have", says Carole Clair, President of the NRP 83 Steering Committee. "Ignoring diversity leads to distorted data and potential risks for patients and society as a whole."

More than research: building a community of practice

In NRP 83, Switzerland has an active stakeholder in the field of gender medicine and health that is not only promoting inclusive research but also connecting other relevant stakeholders and offering them a platform for exchange. NRP 83 sees itself as both a research programme and an impulse generator. Together with researchers and other stakeholders from the healthcare sector, it wants to build a community of practice – a learning community that seeks to jointly discuss issues, develop solutions and build bridges between research, practice and policy – with the aim of shaping the transition to fairer healthcare in Switzerland in a sustainable manner.