All tests have been approved by the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, SwissmedicExternal link.
Until now, HIV tests in Switzerland could be carried out only by a health professional in a medical environment, for example at a doctor’s surgery or at a hospital.
To spread awareness and to improve the detection rate of the virus, the health office and the Federal Commission for Sexual Health have recently recommended that such self-tests should be distributed to the Swiss public.
It is estimated that around a fifth of all infected people in Switzerland are unaware that they carry the HIV virus.
The screening tests can be obtained in pharmacies and drugstores nationwide and are also available via the internet.
The self-test kit uses a small amount of blood from a finger pin-prick sample to detect the presence of HIV antibodies.
Each individual testing kit must be provided with an information leaflet which states that in the case of a positive result, the individual concerned should contact a doctor as soon as possible.
With a self-administered test, an HIV infection can be detected in less than 30 minutes. Proponents of the method hope to reduce the number of affected people who are unaware of their status, while opponents say the test should remain in the hands of professionals, arguing that even small user errors can lead to an incorrect result.
More
More
Federal commission wants to green-light home HIV tests
This content was published on
The Commission for Sexual Health has recommended the distribution of home-based HIV screening tests, which until now have been banned in Switzerland.
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Swiss federal prosecutor bemoans shortage of investigators
This content was published on
The Swiss Office of the Attorney General complains of unresolved shortage of investigators that hinder its efforts to prosecute serious criminals.
ECHR condemns Swiss failure to protect woman from violence
This content was published on
Switzerland did not provide a woman with sufficient protection against her partner who had been violent in the past, rules the ECHR.
This content was published on
In Switzerland, 2.2 million people are affected by non-communicable diseases, partly because people are not eating a balanced diet.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
When Switzerland put its hang-ups on hold
This content was published on
The Swiss HIV prevention campaigns in the 1980s were models of effectiveness. A new book tracks the roots of their success.
This content was published on
Evaluating aid programmes, collecting data, and analysing disease outbreaks: these are just some of the tasks of a modern medical charity worker.
This content was published on
Compared with 2015, the number of cases of gonorrhoea, syphilis and chlamydia have increased by 20%, 15% and 8% respectively in 2016. However, reported cases of HIV have stabilised for the second year in a row. Men constitute the majority of STI cases accounting for 79%, 89% and 78% of all reported cases of gonorrhoea, syphilis…
Many sex workers in Switzerland still go unprotected
This content was published on
Sex workers in Switzerland know about safe sex, yet many skip condoms for the sake of business, says a new study by the University of Lausanne.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.