Swiss court rules no age limit to practice medicine

A Swiss federal court has ruled that a canton cannot set a maximum age for issuing a medical license. The Neuchâtel law, which sets a limit of 80 years, is not in compliance with federal law. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The applicant, a doctor born in August 1944, had obtained the renewal of his authorisation to practice in April 2023. However, the canton of Neuchâtel, in application of its regulations, had limited its validity to the end of August 2024, when the person concerned would have reached the age of 80. According to the Federal Court, this general limit is not consistent with the University Medical Professions Act (LPMéd). This text comprehensively regulates the conditions for granting a practice permit, and the cantons have only very limited room for maneuver to impose other provisions. Unique case Setting an age limit goes well beyond this latitude. The Second Court of Public Law also notes that Neuchâtel appears to be the only canton to ...