Research funds for common diseases decided

Federal Cabinet decides billions „Framework Program Health Research“. People's health should be better researched in the future.

09/12/2010

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) intends to invest a total of 5.5 billion euros over the next four years in order to expand health research in Germany, particularly in the area of ​​so-called widespread diseases. The corresponding „Framework Program Health Research“ was decided yesterday by the Federal Cabinet. Common diseases include diseases such as dementia, diabetes or cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure.

Investment of 5.5 billion by 2014 provided
By the planned investment in the eight-year „Framework Program Health Research“ € 5.5 billion between 2011 and 2014 is not only intended to promote research at universities, university hospitals, business and other research institutes, but also to enable faster transfer of research results into practice, said Federal Research Minister Anette Schavan (CDU ). On the one hand, the funds will go towards the establishment and expansion of six research centers and, on the other hand, into the development of individualized medicine and nutrition and health services research. „We are pursuing the strategy of bringing together the best scientists, thus promoting the rapid transfer of knowledge from the laboratory to practice“, said the Federal Minister of Research in a recent press release. Schavan added: „The focus is on those diseases that affect most people, the so-called widespread diseases.“ In addition, the development of diagnostics and therapeutics should be financially supported and the influence of diet and exercise on the development of diseases should be analyzed in more detail, the Minister said .

Six centers for health research are to be created
With the establishment of the six centers for health research, the cooperation of university and non-university scientists should provide massive support for research and treatment of the most important common diseases, according to the statement by the Federal Minister of Research on the current Cabinet decision. Two of these research centers - the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn (2009) and the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) in Berlin (2010) - have already been opened. Four other centers for cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, cancer and lung diseases will be based on the „Framework Program Health Research“ consequences. Scientists from universities and non-university institutions will work closely together in the six German health research centers, both in basic research and in clinical applications, said the research minister. „Thanks to the new types of networking, we are creating better conditions for new, future-oriented research approaches“, so the conclusion of the Federal Research Minister.

Pharmaceutical companies also want to make their contribution
„The more we research medical topics, the better we can not only treat diseases, but prevent them at the same time. This also relieves our health system“, emphasized Annette Schavan in a recent press release on the relevant cabinet decision. The industry was also sympathetic to the current decision, but further demands were made to improve the framework conditions. The head of the Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Companies (Vfa), Cornelia Yzer said in relation to the new „Framework Program Health Research“, that the pharmaceutical companies will gladly do their part in order to achieve the Federal Government's desired increase in the innovative power of the healthcare industry. However, Germany would have to „but also become more open to innovation“, stressed Yzer and added: „For this we need a network of research, health and economic policy“. (Fp)

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Picture: Gerd Altmann