Health FDP National Councillor Balmer criticizes screening for breast cancer

SDA

9.10.2024 - 04:48

Early detection of breast cancer prevents suffering and saves costs, National Councillor Bettina Balmer (FDP/ZH) told the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung". (archive picture)
Early detection of breast cancer prevents suffering and saves costs, National Councillor Bettina Balmer (FDP/ZH) told the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung". (archive picture)
Keystone

The Zurich FDP National Councillor and doctor Bettina Balmer has criticized the assumption of costs for breast cancer screening. The fact that mammograms are not paid for by health insurance companies everywhere is a blow to the women who need these examinations, said Balmer.

"In the new medical tariff system (Tardoc), significantly less is to be paid for mammograms of all things," said Balmer in an interview with the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung" on Wednesday.

If health insurance companies paid less and less for these examinations, fewer and fewer doctors would offer mammograms. This has an impact on waiting times for women. "Time plays a decisive role in early detection," said the Zurich woman.

In her home canton, the idea prevails "that regular breast scans are enough to detect a disease", said the doctor. However, doctors agree that independent palpation is not enough.

Balmer referred to a recently published study according to which breast cancer screening programs are effective. In cantons without such programs, breast cancer tumors are larger at the time of diagnosis than in cantons with screening programs. This was announced by the Lucerne Cantonal Hospital and the Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna at the end of September.

12 cantons without a public program

14 cantons invite all women between the ages of 50 and 69 (50 to 74 in 9 cantons) to a mammography screening every two years. Screening can also take place outside of a public health program, through so-called opportunistic screening. In the twelve cantons without a public program, this is the only option.

According to another study, the quality of breast cancer screening programs in Switzerland varies from canton to canton. However, the results are in line with European standards, as an analysis by the University Center for General Medicine and Public Health (Unisanté) in Lausanne showed. The study, published in August, was carried out on behalf of the Swiss Cancer Screening Association.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. In Switzerland, around 6500 women are affected every year. 80 percent of them are aged 50 or older at the time of diagnosis.

SDA