Competence Networks in Medicine

Data and Facts
Germany has a high level of competence in medical research. However, it is widely distributed and not very visible. On one hand, researcher occupied with a specific disease form do not communicate enough with each other, meaning that research activities are not optimally interrelated.
On the other hand, the information and knowledge transfer from basic research and clinical research to general care is a slow process. It still takes an average of about ten years before the results of research actually reach the patient in the hospital. But the information transfer in the opposite direction is also insufficient. Urgent questions from daily medical practice are not sufficiently addressed as research issues.

What Does the BMBF Do?
The BMBF initiated the "Competence Networks in Medicine" at the end of the 90s. The goal of these competence networks is to establish competence in specific diseases to benefit doctors and other health service providers as well as patients and their relatives.
The competence networks are oriented around specific missions: The most important, best and most innovative research institutions for a specific disease area have united within the individual competence networks. This horizontal networking of the scientific competence supports the development of new medical solutions more quickly and more efficiently and avoids unnecessary redundancies in research. The vertical networking between scientists and doctors is intended to accelerate the communication and exchange of information in order to accelerate the research transfer. Methods of standardisation and quality assurance are also developed for clinical research and medical care.

17 competence networks in medicine are currently being funded:

Neurological and pyschiatric diseases
- Depression, suicidalness
- Schizophrenia
- Parkinson's disease
- Stroke
- Dementia

Cancer
- Acute and chronic leukemia
- Malignant lymphomas
- Pediatric oncology and hematology

Infectious and inflammatory diseases
- Chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases
- Rheumatism
- Nosocomial pneumonia (CAPNetz)
- Hepatitis (Hep-Net)
- HIV/AIDS
- Sepsis

Cardiovascular diseases
- Inborn heart defects
- Cardiac insufficiency
- Atrial fibrillation

Each competence network receives startup financing of a maximum of 2.5 million EURO per year from the BMBF over a period of up to five years.
Additional information on individual competence networks, their goals, locations and contact persons is available at www.kompetenznetze-medizin.de