ABSTRACT
For more than about 250 years, Sweden has been at the forefront of preventive medicine based on trusting cooperation between politicians, civil servants, and the research community. The means have been mandatory legislation, functioning national structures, and free preventive care. To put the drastic departure from this long tradition in context, this chapter briefly describes Sweden’s history regarding preventive medicine. The country has been successful in different areas, including infection prevention, maternal and child health care, cancer prevention, reducing childhood accidents, reducing traffic accidents, and preventing cardiovascular disease. The actions around the HIV pandemic are the last beneficial efforts. The approach to Covid-19 has meant a drastic end to this long tradition for common good. Civil servants have heckled the country’s foremost experts in virology and spread myths instead of scientifically accurate information about the new coronavirus; recommendations rather than mandatory legislation have been the tools. Do we dare to hope for learning from this end and all the other chapters’ lessons – for the sake of the best for life and health of all in forthcoming generations?
