Switzerland is close to allowing complementary medicine (CAM) to be integrated into the national health system by a special change in its constitution. Three years of intensive lobbying by a grass root movement called ‘YES to Complementary Medicine’ has resulted in high acceptance for a national people’s voting on a specific proposal for integration of these therapeutic systems.

This unusual process, known as a popular initiative, allows Swiss voters to decide on an amendment to the Swiss Federal Constitution (total or partial revision). In order for such an amendment to be put to the vote, 100 000 valid signatures must be collected from voters in support of this undertaking. The government (Federal Council) and parliament may submit a recommendation as to whether a popular initiative should be approved or rejected and if appropriate a counterproposal. As for every constitutional amendment, in addition to the majority vote of the people, the majority vote of the cantons is also required for a Swiss popular initiative to be approved.

In this instance the direct counterproposal nevertheless allowed for the integration of complementary medicine by proposing an amendment to the constitution as follows: ‘The Federal government and cantons shall ensure that, within the scope of their jurisdiction, complementary medicine is taken into consideration.’ This was approved by both chambers of parliament in autumn 2008. The Swiss people will have to vote on this change to the Constitution in 2009. It is strongly anticipated that the voting will be in favour.

The Swiss initiative comes on the back of the recent decision in Switzerland to eliminate reimbursement for CAM medications, despite the fact that a 5-year research assessment by international researchers had confirmed the usefulness and effectiveness of five of the CAM disciplines: Homeopathy, Anthroposophic Medicine, Phytotherapy, Neural Therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

Switzerland would be the first country to have complementary medicine enshrined in its constitution and would therefore take on a pioneering role in Europe. A constitutional article would make it fundamentally clear that complementary medicine not only has a right to exist, but is becoming an integral part of the public health service.


Max Daege
ECHAMP President