>> As Federal Research Minister, you are responsible for all research in Germany. What is special about health research?
We all benefit directly from the results of health research. In all discussions on the question of quality of life, in political planning, including, for example, in the negotiations for this year's German G7 presidency - the topic of health is present everywhere, and research is also present. Our coalition agreement also gives health research a prominent place. For me, health research is also an important model for showing citizens why research is so important. The benefit of science and research in clarifying the causes of diseases, in developing new diagnostic methods and better therapies, or in developing effective prevention methods is very obvious.

And in health services research?
The special thing about health care research is that it goes beyond individual diagnostic and therapeutic elements to the broad field of health care practice. This question is often crucial. With the PRISCUS list, for example, scientists have, for the first time in Germany, presented an overview of medications that may be unsuitable for older people. It describes more than 80 active ingredients, their most common side effects and also provides information on therapeutic alternatives. This list and the Federal Research Ministry's brochure based on it, “Medications in old age: Which active ingredients are suitable?” are an important contribution to improving therapy, but above all to protecting older people from undesirable drug effects. Health services research helps in very different areas to treat patients in the best possible way in everyday medical life. Based on reliable data, it delivers precise analyses, creates new insights and, above all, tests solutions.

What have you already been able to achieve in this area? What do you want to do in the next few years? Where have you already experienced disappointments?
Health services research supports... <<

doi: 10.24945/MVF.03.15.1866-0533.1988