Health Health insurance companies now cover costs for safer sex method

From today, Monday, health insurance companies will cover the costs of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for people at high risk. The safer sex method prevents the risk of HIV infection through unprotected sexual intercourse.

HIV-negative people can take an HIV medication to protect themselves from infection if they come into contact with an HIV-positive person. The service includes medical advice, the necessary laboratory tests and the medication.

The adjustment is part of the "Stop HIV, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and sexually transmitted infections (naps)" program adopted by the Federal Council in November 2023. By 2030, there should be no more infections with the AIDS virus (HIV) and no more infections with hepatitis B and C in Switzerland.

The HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis service will be included in the benefits catalog for a limited period until December 31, 2026, subject to evaluation. According to the national government, the evaluation will serve to answer open questions regarding the development of the number of participants and the impact of prophylaxis on the number of infections.

Switzerland has more than 40 years of experience in preventing and combating the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The first national program against HIV was launched in 1987. Since 2011, other sexually transmitted infections have been integrated into the National Program HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections (NPHS). At the beginning of 2024, the NPHS was replaced by the Naps program.

SDA