Each partner institution of the Swiss Learning Health System (SLHS) is working on a specific topic that will lead to policy briefs and stakeholder dialogues.
Towards a Switzerland Free of HPV-Related Cancers: Stakeholder-Informed Roadmap
Switzerland faces a considerable burden from HPV-related cancers despite implementing HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening programs. Vaccination coverage among girls remains below the WHO target of 90%, and cervical screening practices primarily rely on opportunistic cytology-based methods. Critically, Switzerland still lacks a coordinated national strategy to eliminate HPV-related cancers. Countries that have implemented integrated approaches to vaccination, screening, and treatment are moving closer to the WHO’s 2030 elimination targets.
In February 2025, a stakeholder dialogue in Zurich, using a policy sprint approach, brought together representatives from public health, healthcare, cantonal authorities, civil society, and academia. Informed by international strategies and expert interviews, the dialogue aimed to develop concrete, shared policy measures to reduce the burden of HPV-related cancers in Switzerland.
The outcome: A stakeholder-informed roadmap structured around five key Fields of Action, along with identified windows of opportunity and enablers:
- Political Will and Governance: Build cross-level political momentum and establish HPV elimination as a national health priority, leveraging current parliamentary motions.
- Evidence-Based Planning: Use cost-effectiveness analyses, health impact modeling, and international benchmarking to inform strategy and strengthen advocacy.
- Data and Monitoring: Develop a centralized vaccination and screening registry and integrate HPV data into broader health information systems.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Formalize leadership and coordination through platforms such as the HPV Alliance and expand multi-sector collaboration, including public-private partnerships.
- Communication and Awareness Raising: Expand school-based education and vaccination programs, create unified messaging, and use personal stories and trusted voices to reach target groups effectively.
This roadmap not only summarizes the dialogue but also charts a path for coordinated planning and the development of national strategies. A follow-up workshop in April 2025 further consolidated momentum, forming a core group of engaged stakeholders ready to lead the next steps.
Explore the full roadmap!