Gender medicine and health in the political arena
Swiss Parliament addresses health of children, young people and rainbow families in the LGBTQIA+ community. National Council calls for report on provision of medical care to young trans people.
During the spring session of the Federal Assembly, an overwhelming majority of the National Council voted in favour of a postulate proposed by Councilwoman and paediatric surgeon Bettina Balmer on the quality of healthcare provided to young trans people in Switzerland.
It is now up to the Federal Council to conduct an objective survey of the current health situation – in particular with respect to young trans people’s access to medical services.
An interpellation brought by Anna Rosenwasser also takes a critical look at the issue of healthcare for children, young people and rainbow families in the LGBTQIA+ community in Switzerland.
The response from the Federal Council shows that the government still has not conducted independent surveys on this section of the population. The government therefore also endorses Balmer’s postulate and seeks to take account of equal opportunities for the LGBTQIA+ community in its new strategy for non-communicable diseases, addiction and mental health. However, it rejects the call for new national-level statistics due to financial constraints.
Both of these developments are clear examples that questions around sex and gender in healthcare are socially and politically salient and, as such, they are debated in the political arena.
NRP 83 strengthening scientific evidence
National Research Programme NRP 83 projects on gender medicine and health are helping to strengthen the basis of scientific evidence around the LGBTQIA+ community, closing the data gaps described and improving healthcare.
Several NRP 83 projects are focused on the provision of healthcare for the LGBTQIA+ community – from primary and palliative care to reproductive health. See the links below for more on these projects.
Sex and gender documentation in medical records
Improving LGBTI primary care through e-learning
Inclusive palliative care for LGBTIQ+ people
Reproductive health of trans/gender-diverse people
Rethinking care: How to better support intersex persons
LGBTQ+ inclusive healthcare for young adults
- Postulate 25.4155 Bettina Balmer
- Interpellation 25.4634 Anna Rosenwasser
- NRP 83 project overview
- NRP 83 project “Sex and gender documentation in medical records”
- NRP 83 project “Improving LGBTI primary care through e-learning”
- NRP 83 project “Inclusive palliative care for LGBTIQ+ people”
- NRP 83 project “Reproductive health of trans/gender-diverse people”
- NRP 83 project “Rethinking care: How to better support intersex persons”
- NRP 83 project “LGBTQ+ inclusive healthcare for young adults”