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.
Has your continent reached its peak or is there still potential for economic growth?
Some regions of the world are on an upward trajectory with the promise of a steadily improving future. Where do you live? And in which direction is your region or continent developing?
Switzerland commemorates Italian partisans who died escaping fascists
This content was published on
Italian partisans tried to flee to Switzerland in October 1944. However, two died and a third was injured in a hail of bullets between their fascist pursuers and Swiss border guards in Ticino. They are now commemorated by so-called stumble stones.
Switzerland follows the EU with new sanctions against Russian oil
This content was published on
Switzerland is stepping up its sanctions against Russia in the context of the war in Ukraine. The measures are aimed at Russia's oil windfall. The European Union (EU) approved the same package of sanctions, the 18th since the start of the war, in mid-July.
Swiss government makes a case for e-ID ahead of referendum
This content was published on
The electronic-ID is secure and easy to use and its use is voluntary and free of charge: these are the arguments the government made in its campaign for a 'Yes' vote on the e-ID Act slated for September 28.
Switzerland trials muzzles and electric harps against Asian hornets
This content was published on
Scientists have fitted several beehives in Cornol in canton Jura with electric harps and muzzles to electrocute and stop Asian hornets.
Record number of fawns saved by Swiss drone volunteers
This content was published on
Thousands of fawns were saved from the blades of mowers thanks to volunteers equipped with drones with thermal imaging cameras.
This content was published on
Houses and flats became more expensive again in the first half of the year. In the second quarter of 2025 in particular, momentum increased across Switzerland due to high demand and low interest rates.
Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof receives first Locarno City of Peace Award
This content was published on
The new award was created to strengthen Locarno’s role as a symbol of dialogue and peaceful coexistence, and to mark the centenary of the 1925 Locarno Treaties – a crucial milestone in twentieth-century European diplomacy.
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.