Pediatric diabetologist Professor Andreas Neu is the new DDG President
25.05.2021 12:09
Professor Dr. med. Andreas Neu is now President of the German Diabetes Society (DDG) for two years. The pediatric diabetologist is acting medical director of the department for neuropediatrics, developmental neurology and social pediatrics at the Tübingen Children's Clinic, at the Tübingen University Hospital and heads the treatment facility for children and adolescents with diabetes there. Even though he will represent the entire range of the subject as President of the DDG, he wants to focus more on pediatric diabetology during his term of office. He follows Professor Dr. med. Monika Kellerer, who now holds the office of past president. The general meeting appointed Professor Dr. as Vice President of the DDG. med. Andreas Fritsche elected.
“Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease with varying degrees of severity that can affect adults and children of all ages,” says the new DDG President. In particular, a better distinction must be made between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes - knowing full well that there are other forms of diabetes and that there are numerous differentiating features within the forms. Especially in children, the first symptoms of type 1 diabetes, such as constant thirst, frequent urination, weight loss and constant tiredness, are often overlooked or misinterpreted. Improved education, early detection and prevention are therefore an important concern for the expert during his term of office.
The new DDG President sees the super election year 2021 as an opportunity to further develop the National Diabetes Strategy (NDS): “Communication before big elections always offers the opportunity to get through directly to those in political responsibility and to have our demands heard,” said the new DDG President. After the election, the announcements of the past but also actions must be followed in the new legislative period. For example, the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) is planning to commission the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) to develop a disease management program (DMP) for obesity as part of a law for the further development of health care (GVWG). “From our point of view, this is an important component of the NDS. DMPs offer people with obesity the opportunity to receive continuous, structured and quality-assured care – across all sectors of care in the health system.”
Neu has been a member of the DDG since 1989. He was also a founding member and spokesman for the Working Group for Pediatric Diabetology (AGPD) and spokesman for the German Working Group for Epidemiology (DAE). He has been on the DDG board since 2015 - initially as treasurer and then as vice president.
In addition to Andreas Neu, the DDG board also includes: Past President Professor Dr. med. Monika Kellerer, Stuttgart, Prof. Dr. med. Joachim Spranger, Berlin and Professor Dr. med. Jens Aberle, Hamburg. Jens Aberle will take over the office of conference president in 2021. At the general meeting in November 2020, Dr. med. Dorothea Reichert, Landau, and PD Dr. med. Kilian Rittig, Frankfurt (Oder), added. Yesterday's general meeting elected Dr. med. Tobias Wiesner, Leipzig, on the board and Professor Dr. med. Andreas Fritsche, Tübingen, as Vice President. Professor Dr. med. Baptist Gallwitz continues to act as press spokesman.