Over the course of several months in 2025, a claim circulated online that Switzerland had become the first nation to ban mammograms – an effective method of screening for breast cancer — citing radiation risks, false positives and other dangers.
Several posts making the claim spread across multiple platforms, including one on X (archived) that received more than 1 million views, as of this writing. The posts included text that read:
BREAKING NEWS: SWITZERLAND BECOMES THE FIRST COUNTRY TO BAN MAMMOGRAPHY! A GLOBAL MEDICAL SCANDAL EXPOSED!
Breaking news: Switzerland becomes the first country to BAN mammography, exposing the shocking truth behind the medical industry's biggest scam. Discover how mammograms harm women, with up to 60% false positives, cancer risks, and a profit-driven system exploiting millions. It's time for safer, non-invasive alternatives!
(Facebook user David Wolfe)
The claim was not new; it has surfaced numerous times since at least May 2024, and similar claims have circulated as far back as 2014 — when the since-dissolved Swiss Medical Board published a report that called into question the efficacy of breast screening programs.
We wrote to Switzerland's Federal Office of Public Health seeking comment regarding the claim, and the office replied that "Switzerland has not banned mammography." The office also clarified that screening programs are set up by the cantons and that "mammograms are recommended from the age of 50 onward." A spokesperson from the Swiss health office also confirmed this for Reuters and PolitiFact in 2024 and early 2025.
Reuters reported that a spokesperson called the claim a "misinterpretation" of the 2014 Swiss Medical Board report.
There also is proof that Switzerland, as of this writing, offers systemic mammogram services in the majority of cantons (similar to states or provinces) across the country, as indicated by a map on the Swiss Cancer Screening website. The cantons that do not offer systemic mammogram services either adhere to a "by-referral" program or plan to introduce systemic screening programs in the future. An update line noted the site was last modified in early September 2025.
(swisscancerscreening.ch)
Opinions can vary on the risk of regular mammograms given the small dose of ionizing radiation during the procedure, but the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends, as of this writing:
- Mammograms every two years for women who are 50-74 years old and are at average risk for breast cancer.
- Women who are 40-49 years old should talk to their healthcare provider about when or how often to get a mammogram based on personal risk and health history.