Farewell to Dr. Daniel Lavanchy, MHEM—A Life Dedicated to Public Health

It is with great sadness that we have learnt that our board member Dr Daniel Lavanchy, MHEM, passed away on 30 September 2026 at the age of 78. With his passing, we have lost a dedicated colleague and a man who shaped the fight against hepatitis in Switzerland and worldwide for decades.

Daniel Lavanchy studied medicine at the University of Basel and later worked for many years in viral hepatitis. At the World Health Organisation (WHO), he helped to map the global spread of hepatitis C and its genotypes. He made a significant contribution to solving the mystery of the high prevalence of genotype 4 in Egypt. It became clear that earlier mass treatment programmes for schistosomiasis, which involved injections, had spread the hepatitis C virus. This realisation helped prevent further infections. He also played a leading role in developing strategies for vaccinations and antiviral treatments, both globally and in specific regions, particularly the Middle East. At the WHO, he headed the Global Influenza Programme and the Smallpox Programme. In these roles, he implemented global strategies for the prevention, treatment and surveillance of these diseases. His expertise was invaluable to Switzerland's medical community. He contributed to the early studies conducted by the Swiss Association for the Study of the Liver (SASL) on the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C. He repeatedly impressed both specialist audiences and the general public with his outstanding lectures on hepatitis vaccinations and other public health measures.

From the very beginning, Daniel Lavanchy played a key role in the Swiss Experts on Viral Hepatitis (SEVHep), the predecessor organisation of Hepatitis Switzerland. In recent years, he actively contributed his vast experience to the board of Hepatitis Switzerland. Right up until the end, he worked tirelessly to raise awareness among authorities, healthcare professionals, and opinion leaders about the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of viral infections.

We shall miss his expertise in public health, but above all his diplomatic and far-sighted approach to tackling problems. He treated everyone with kindness and consideration, took everyone seriously and excluded no one. We shall remember Daniel Lavanchy as a dedicated, warm-hearted and impressive person. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family.