Geneva

Switzerland / Geneva

OVERVIEW

Generally speaking, Swiss society is rather healthy, with one of the longest lifespans in the world. The majority of the populace is Swiss (70%, as of 2017), but there are also many foreigners, particularly from other European countries, such as German, Italy, Portugal, and France. In terms of religion, 41% of the population consider religion to be an important part of their daily lives, and the most commonly practiced religions are Catholicism and Protestantism.

You can obtain contraception, and you can purchase condoms without a prescription. However, you will need a prescription for most forms of contraception, such as pills or an intra-uterine device (IUD). Emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) are available in pharmacies, and no prescription is required. You can get an STI test at various clinics and health centers, and there are organizations and health groups that offer STI education and support. Abortion is fully legal and available upon request in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Contraception (Birth Control)

General Note: There are many types of contraceptives, also known as "birth control," including IUDs, oral contraceptives, patches, shots, and condoms, etc. If you would like to view a full list, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Switzerland, you can purchase condoms without a prescription at pharmacies. However, you need a prescription to obtain most other forms of contraception, such as birth control pills, implants, injectables, and IUDs.

In 2015, it was estimated that about 77% of Swiss women (who were married/in unions and between the ages of 15-49) were using any form of contraception, including traditional methods. This was higher than the Western European average (70% of women).

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Tip: For a list of contraceptive options, you can check out this overview from SANTE SEXUELLE Suisse.
• You can purchase condoms in supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, erotic stores, and from online vendors, such as the Swiss AIDS Foundation online shop. No prescription is needed.
• You can purchase oral contraceptives (birth control pills) at pharmacies, but you'll need to first have a prescription.
• We know that the contraceptive ring (Nuvaring) was available in Swiss pharmacies in the past, but we'll need more updated information. You need a prescription before you can purchase the ring.

Costs

• The cost of contraception is often not covered by Swiss health insurance.

Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill)

Important Notes: Emergency contraception may prevent pregnancy for three days (72 hours) and sometimes five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Take EC as soon as possible after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. If you don't have access to dedicated EC, oral contraceptives can be used as replacement EC, but remember the following: 1) Only some contraceptives work as EC 2) Different contraceptives require different dosages and time schedules to work as EC 3) You must only use the first 21 pills in 28-day packs and 4) They may be less effective than dedicated EC. For general information on emergency contraceptives, click here and here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Switzerland, emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) are available over-the-counter at pharmacies. No prescription is required, and there are no age restrictions on who can purchase the pills. For a few years, ellaOne was available at pharmacies by prescription-only, but it has been available over-the-counter at pharmacies since November 2015.

There are national policies and guidelines regarding emergency contraception. In 2014, a paper was published by a team of gynecologists, pharmacies, and family planning center health workers. The paper outlines three forms of acceptable emergency contraception, according to the team, which include: levonorgestrel EC pills, ulipristal acetate EC pills, and copper IUDs. The paper is available in German and French. Furthermore, in 2016, the Interdisciplinary Group of Experts on EC (IENK) developed a set of tools for pharmacists, which included a decision making chart, protocols to how to handle a missed pill, a guide for how to refer women to health services, and more. You can read these guidelines in French.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can find emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) at pharmacies, and they are sold over-the-counter. Some brands you may find are NorLevo 1.5mg and ellaOne.
• Note: The longest-lasting EC is currently ellaOne. It lasts up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Check to see if your country carries ellaOne. If your country doesn't carry ellaOne, copper IUDs may also prevent pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex. If none of these options are available, and it's been over 3 days since you had unprotected sex, you can still take EC, which may work up to 5 days. Note that EC pills are not 100% effective and should be taken as soon as possible.

Costs

• If you visit a pharmacy, you can expect to pay around € 17,50 for LNG pills (such as NorLevo) and € 32,85 for UPA pills (such as ellaOne), as of 2013.
• The price of emergency contraceptive pills may depend on your age. In some cantons, you can purchase LNG pills, like NorLevo, for around € 12 if you are under 20 years old or for around € 20 if you are over 20 years.
• There are 26 cantons in Switzerland, and reimbursement laws around emergency contraception vary by canton. In some cantons, LNG pills are partially reimbursed if you obtain them at special family planning centers.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs)

Important Notes - Learn about PEP and PrEP: If you think that you've been recently exposed to HIV (i.e. within 72 hours), seek out PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a month-long treatment to prevent HIV infection after exposure, and it may be available in your city. Take PEP as soon as possible. For more information, click here. If you are at risk of HIV exposure, seek out PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a daily oral pill that can prevent HIV infection before exposure. To learn more about PrEP, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Switzerland, there are no known travel or residency restrictions for people with HIV/AIDS. This means that you can enter the country, regardless of your HIV status, and you should not be deported if you test positive for HIV while you are in the country.

Generally speaking, Switzerland has a low HIV infection rate, and the rates have been dropping. In November 2018, it was reported that there were 20,000 living with HIV in Switzerland. There were 445 new cases of HIV infection in 2017, which was a 16% drop from the previous year. Women make up about 22% of diagnosed cases. However, people with HIV report that they face stigma and judgment in Switzerland -- and, in some cases, they face harassment and discrimination.

Testing Facilities

• Hôpitaux universitaires (Geneva University Hospital): You can visit their Sexual Health and Family Planning clinic, which is a "free, confidential public service." They provide consultations, confidential HIV tests, and referrals. There is also Programme santé migrants (HUG), which is for low-income migrants. Address: Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Rue Gabrielle Perret-Gentil 4. Phone: 022 372 96 17
• Cité Générations: They provide anonymous HIV tests and may also test for other STIs. Route de Chancy 98, 1213 Onex. Phone: 022 709 00 35.
• Camsco: They provide HIV and syphilis tests. For people in precarious situations, including uninsured people and migrants. Address: Rue Hugo-De-Senger; Tel: 022 372 53 11
• Checkpoint Genève: They provide tests for men who have sex with men. They also have post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Address: Rue du Grand-Pré 9; Phone: 022 906 40 30

Support

• Swiss AIDS Federation: Address: Konradstrasse 20, Postfach, CH-8031 Zurich; Phone: +41 1 447 1111; Fax: +41 1 447 1112; E-mail: aids@aids.ch

Costs

• The cost you pay for a test will depend on the clinic that you visit, your economic situation, and your insurance situation. You can expect to pay anything from no cost to around 60 euros per test.
• It is often cheaper to buy STI tests in a bundle (for example, buying an HIV and syphilis test in a bundle) than individual tests.

Medications & Vaccines

Laws & Social Stigmas

There is an HPV vaccine in Switzerland, and there are protocols for vaccination. You can visit the Aids-Hilfe Schweiz website for details.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can obtain the HPV vaccine in Switzerland, and you can visit the My Vaccines website to manage your online booking of the vaccine. In addition, Switzerland has a nationwide HPV vaccination program, which was launched in 2008, which targets adolescents.
• You can obtain PrEP in Switzerland at certain clinics and health care facilities, which are listed here. It is generally quite expensive to purchase PrEP in Switzerland, so people often purchase PrEP online or in other European countries.

Menstruation

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can find pads/pantyliners in Switzerland.
• You can find tampons (with and without applicators) in Switzerland.
• You can find menstrual cups in Switzerland. For example, you can find Lunette and Mooncup sold in a variety of pharmacies, along with other brands. You can also purchase menstrual cups from online vendors, such as Afriksa, Lady Planet, Tampon.ch.

Gynecological Exams

In Switzerland, there are many gynecologists and women's health centers to choose from -- and you can browse resources like doktor.ch to select your provider. It is common for clinic staff to speak many languages, including German, French, and English.

Generally speaking, Swiss health insurance covers the following: a breast examination, a blood pressure check, a blood test and urine test, and a pap test (i.e. a cervical cancer screening).

Costs

• If you have a Swiss health insurance policy, and if you're between teen years and 69 years old, gynecological exams are covered by your insurance.
• Typically, the excess fees of first two checkups, plus a retention fee, are included in a yearly bill. After that, checkups are paid every three years.

Pregnancy

Laws & Social Stigmas

Switzerland has a low maternal mortality rate (5 deaths/100,000 live births, as of 2015)

Abortion

Important Note: There are two main types of abortions: medical (also known as the "abortion pill") and surgical (also known as "in-clinic"). For medical abortions, you take a pill to induce abortion. For surgical abortions, a procedure is performed to induce abortion. For general information about medical and surgical abortions, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Switzerland, abortion is fully legal and available upon request in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. After the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, abortion is legal in certain circumstances.

List of Additional Resources

• Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)
• SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland (SANTÉ SEXUELLE Suisse): "SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland (SANTÉ SEXUELLE Suisse) is the umbrella organisation of the Swiss centers for sexual and reproductive health and the professional associations active in the areas education and counselling on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland runs a total of three offices in the French, the German and Italian speaking region of Switzerland."
• Equaldex - Switzerland: Click here to learn about LGBTQ rights and laws in Switzerland.