Health Research Framework Programme

Demographic changes go hand in hand with an increase in the number of people suffering from common diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer. However, treatment is not always successful at present. In order to develop better therapies and diagnoses, the underlying disease mechanisms must be understood; it is therefore necessary to intensify research in the area of health. The findings of this research yield direct benefits for patients.

In order to advance progress in this area of research, the Federal Government has published the Health Research Framework Programme. The funded fields of research span the spectrum from basic life sciences research through preclinical and clinical research to market maturity. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has been supporting health research with more than 13 billion euro between 2011 and 2018.

The focus is on six fields of activity: Combined research of common diseases, customised medicine, research into prevention and nutrition, the health care industry, health care research, and health research in global cooperation.