Advocacy and Lobbying in Public Health

On June 15, 2023, SSPH+, the NRP74 Emerging Health Care Leaders (EHCL) program, Swiss Learning Health System (SLHS), Swiss Public Health Doctors (SPHD), and the Swiss Society for Public Health (PHS) co-organized the “Advocacy and Lobbying for Public Health Sciences in Switzerland” training event. This was a half-day event at Hotel Zürichberg, followed by an apéro. The training event aimed to shed light on the often overlooked yet influential role of advocacy and lobbying in shaping public health policy making, both domestically and internationally. Attendees heard perspectives on this topic from Swiss politicians, Benoît Gaillard and Bettina Balmer, who brought their wealth of experience and expertise to the discussion. Gaillard, known for his work as a member of the Swiss National Council, and Balmer, a prominent figure in the Swiss Green Party, shared valuable insights into the mechanisms and key stakeholders involved in lobbying within the realm of public health.