Human biomonitoring projects: pilot phase
A pilot project for a Swiss health study involving human biomonitoring (HBM) was carried out under the name ‘Swiss Health Study – Pilot Phase’. The final report was published in 2026.
The Federal Council report published in May 2017 meant the green light for a pilot phase for a national program. The main objectives of this preparatory phase were to test the feasibility of a national project, to validate the necessary procedures and infrastructures, and to evaluate the willingness of volunteers to participate.
The pilot phase was carried out by the FOPH in collaboration with the Swiss Biobanking Platform (SBP), the University Institute of General Medicine and Public Health (Unisanté) and the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) in Bern, with the participation of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (SwissTPH) in Basel. The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) contributed to the study by analysing the samples for glyphosate and per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS). The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) financed the analysis of heavy metals.
During the operational phase, over 780 adults were interviewed about their health between 2018 and 2021. They underwent a baseline examination and provided biological samples. The pilot study was conducted in the cantons of Bern and Vaud together with the regional research institutes mentioned above and showed that a large-scale study would be feasible (see the interim report 2023). The analytical results from the human biomonitoring (HBM) in the pilot phase are summarized in a report (see the report on analytical results 2023). The final report on the pilot phase from 2026 includes two externally commissioned expert reports, one on funding options and the other on the necessary legal framework for a large-scale Swiss health study.
Further information
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Schwarzenburgstrasse 157
Switzerland - 3003 Bern