An investigation by the Swiss magazine Beobachter has uncovered that between 1964 and 1979, thousands of children brought to Switzerland for adoption—primarily from India, South Korea, Vietnam, and Morocco—were illegally placed in quarantine by the humanitarian organization Terre des hommes. During this quarantine, they were subjected to unauthorized medical experiments in hospitals in French-speaking Switzerland (Romandy).
The report, published in June 2026, details how the children were isolated for weeks upon arrival, ostensibly for health checks, but were instead used as test subjects for various medical procedures without proper consent. The experiments included testing of vaccines, antibiotics, and other treatments, often without the knowledge of the adoptive parents or the children's guardians.
Terre des hommes, founded in 1960 by Edmond Kaiser, has acknowledged the findings and expressed regret. In a statement, the organization said it is cooperating with authorities to investigate the full extent of the practices and to identify victims. The Swiss government has launched an official inquiry into the matter, with potential legal consequences for those responsible.
Victims and their families have come forward, describing lasting physical and psychological trauma. Many were not informed of the experiments until decades later, when medical records were uncovered. The scandal has prompted calls for stricter oversight of adoption agencies and medical research involving vulnerable populations.
As of June 2026, no criminal charges have been filed, but the investigation is ongoing. The case has sparked a broader debate in Switzerland about historical abuses in humanitarian and adoption practices.
