Fédération Des Ligues De La Santé

What Fédération Des Ligues De La Santé does

Fédération Des Ligues De La Santé (Swiss Rheumatism League / Ligue suisse contre le rhumatisme) is the national umbrella federation for rheumatic-disease support in Switzerland, coordinating a network of 17 cantonal leagues and 6 patient organizations. The federation addresses a very large addressable base: approximately 2 million people in Switzerland are affected by some form of rheumatic disease, including 85,000 with rheumatoid arthritis, and 200+ distinct disease types are covered, with osteoarthritis affecting roughly 90% of the population over 65.

Its core service mix consists of free-of-charge public-good offerings — courses, individual consultations, fall-prevention programs (academically validated with ZHAW), printed and digital publications, and podcasts — alongside a small commercial stream through an online shop selling auxiliary aids and educational materials. The federation operates a content and community platform with digital tools such as a calcium calculator and online self-tests, but no API, SDK, or proprietary technology stack is disclosed.

The business model is a non-profit donations-and-bequests model with a thin e-commerce tail. Funding sources include individual donations, legacies, event-based fundraising (notably a World Rheumatism Day crowdfunding effort that raised over 60,000 CHF for the SOS support fund), and shop sales. Visibility campaigns such as "Mes rhumatismes et moi" (2020) and "Tu viens avec moi?" (2024) are deployed to support donor conversion and disease awareness. Governance is exercised under a national leadership structure with Annette Stolz succeeding Valérie Krafft as managing director in January 2024. The market is exclusively Switzerland, distributed across cantonal jurisdictions.

Name

Fédération Des Ligues De La Santé

Legal name

Ligue suisse contre le rhumatisme

Website

https://ligues-rhumatisme.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Swiss national federation coordinating 17 cantonal leagues and 6 patient organizations to support the roughly 2 million people in Switzerland living with rheumatic diseases, funded primarily through donations, bequests, and a small online shop for auxiliary aids.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chronic Disease Patient Support Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chronic Disease & Health Promotion Program Funding (HLAJALAJ), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Health Systems Strengthening & Global Health Technical Assistance (BPADAEAH)

Keywords

• Rheumatic disease support
• Patient health association
• Therapeutic exercise courses
• Fall prevention programs
• Assistive aids retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Primary funding source from individual donors supporting the organization and its mission to help people with rheumatic diseases.
2. Legatees and Bequests: Legacy giving and bequests from supporters.
3. Event-based Donations: Donations made on occasion of events such as weddings, funerals, or special occasions.
4. Shop Sales: Sales of auxiliary means, aids, and publications through the online shop.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The organization operates a federated network of 17 cantonal rheumatism leagues providing free therapeutic courses, fall prevention programs, advisory and social counseling, and self-help groups to people affected by rheumatic diseases in Switzerland. It publishes educational content including the forumR magazine, newsletters, podcasts, and a comprehensive online encyclopedia of 200+ rheumatic conditions, and sells auxiliary aids through an online shop. Funding is primarily donation-based, with a financial assistance SOS Fund for patients facing treatment affordability barriers.

Product overview

The Swiss Rheumatism League (Ligue suisse contre le rhumatisme / Rheumaliga Schweiz) operates as a federated organization consisting of a national league and multiple cantonal branches, offering a comprehensive portfolio of health information, therapeutic services, and patient support. The core offerings include educational publications (forumR magazine, newsletters), digital content (podcasts, videos), and online tools (calcium calculator, health tests). Service delivery centers on therapeutic exercise courses, fall prevention programs, advisory services, and social counseling. The organization maintains an e-commerce platform for auxiliary aids and operates financial assistance through the SOS Fund. Professional training programs support healthcare providers. Key digital properties include the Rheuma A-Z disease encyclopedia and annual awareness events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• forumR Magazine Member magazine of the Swiss Rheumatism League covering rheumatism topics, patient stories, and medical information.
• RheumaNews Newsletter Regular email newsletter providing updates on rheumatism research, league activities, and health tips.
• ErgoNews Newsletter Newsletter focused on ergonomic advice and occupational health information for people with rheumatism.
• Podcast: Le rhumatisme et moi (Rheuma persönlich) Podcast series featuring facts, authentic patient stories, and humor about rheumatic diseases, with episodes on menopause and osteoporosis, sleep, mental health, and nutrition.
• Therapeutic Courses (Gymnastique thérapeutique) Physical therapy and therapeutic exercise courses including Active Backademy (back gym), ZumbaGold, Qi-Gong, Yoga, Pilates, and Aqua mobility classes for people with rheumatic diseases.
• Fall Prevention Program (Prévention des chutes) Specialized fall prevention courses designed for people who have already fallen or fear falling, led by trained physiotherapists and dietitians; program effectiveness validated by ZHAW research.
• Advisory Services (Conseil) Advisory services providing information and guidance for people affected by rheumatism, including access to specialist physician lists and therapist searches.
• Social Counseling (Conseil social) Free social counseling services provided by the Vaud and Valais rheumatism leagues.
• Self-Help Groups (Groupes d'entraide) Support groups connecting people affected by rheumatism, including specialized groups for conditions like fibromyalgia.
• Auxiliary Aids Shop (Moyens auxiliaires) Online shop and catalog offering daily living aids and assistive devices for people with rheumatism, with testing available at regional offices.
• SOS Fund (Fonds SOS) Financial support fund for people with rheumatism facing financial difficulties in acquiring necessary therapeutic equipment.
• KOMPASS Self-Management Program Training program for medical practice assistants on promoting self-management in physician offices.
• Professional Training (Formation continue / Update Rheumatologie) Continuing education programs for healthcare professionals including Update Rheumatology and training for medical practice assistants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fall prevention program has proven measurable success according to ZHAW study

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• arthritis.chminorOthersNational patient organization for arthritis, linked as partner organization
• bechterew.chminorOthersNational patient organization for Bechterew disease (ankylosing spondylitis)
• glasknochen.chminorOthersNational patient organization for osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease)
• lupus-suisse.chminorOthersNational patient organization for lupus
• sclerodermie.chminorOthersNational patient organization for scleroderma
• suisse-fibrolymie.chminorOthersNational patient organization for fibromyalgia
• ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership where ZHAW conducted research validating the effectiveness of the fall prevention program of the Swiss Rheumatism League, demonstrating measurable success
• EULAR (European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Prix-Edgar-Stene writing competition, inviting submissions for 2026

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Versus Arthritis: UK national charity dedicated to supporting people with arthritis and related musculoskeletal conditions; offers research funding, patient information, and direct services. Comparable as a similarly structured national arthritis/rheumatism charity with a more developed research-grantmaking arm.
• Arthritis Foundation: Largest US national nonprofit focused on arthritis and rheumatic diseases, providing patient education, advocacy, community programs, and research funding. Comparable on mission, but materially larger in scale and resources.
• National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS): UK charity specifically focused on rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis, providing information, peer support, and advocacy. Comparable as a disease-specific national patient association with overlapping programs (helpline, publications, self-management).
• The Arthritis Society (Canada): Canada's national charity for arthritis, funding research and providing information, support, and educational programs for people living with arthritis. Comparable as a national, federated arthritis/rheumatism nonprofit with research and patient services.

Emerging players

• National Osteoporosis Foundation (Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation): US national nonprofit focused on osteoporosis and bone health, providing education, advocacy, and awareness campaigns. Comparable as a disease-specific patient organization serving the same osteoporosis subgroup of the Swiss League's constituents.
• Lupus Europe: European umbrella federation of national lupus patient organizations. Comparable as a disease-specific peer organization that the Swiss League partners with via lupus-suisse.ch, addressing one of the 200+ rheumatic conditions in its portfolio.
• Osteoporosis Canada: Canadian national charity dedicated to osteoporosis awareness, education, and research. Comparable as a bone-health-focused disease-specific nonprofit with overlapping audience (the Swiss League's osteoporosis patients) and similar service portfolio.

Regional players

• Deutsche Rheuma-Liga: Germany's national rheumatism patient association with a federated structure of state-level leagues. Directly comparable as a German-speaking counterpart operating the same cantonal/state-league model for rheumatic disease support, education, and advocacy.
• Ligue Française contre le Rhumatisme (AFLAR): France's national rheumatism patient association offering patient information, therapeutic education, and advocacy for rheumatic diseases. Structurally identical French-language counterpart comparable on mission, content, and service mix.

Broad incumbents

• EULAR (European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology): European umbrella organization representing national rheumatism societies, healthcare professionals, and patient organizations. Comparable as a higher-level coordinating body; the Swiss Rheumatism League is itself a member of EULAR.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RheumaligaSchweiz
• Facebookfacebook.com/rheumaligaschweiz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/f%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration-des-ligues-de-la-sant%C3%A9
• Instagraminstagram.com/rheumaliga_schweiz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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