The German government has decided to focus its R&D efforts in 2011 under the topic “Research for health” as the healthcare system is facing ever more considerable challenges. In 2010 the government already provides €1.2 bn for research in the area of health and this amount is expected to rise in 2011.

The key challenge for 2011 will be to speed up the transposition of basic research into clinical applications, as, according to the German Minister of Research, real R&D success is determined by how many real-life applications it yields.

To tackle this challenge the landscape of the German research structure will be changed. Separate centres of health research will be created for six main diseases, in which excellence and specialists’ research efforts can be bundled.

Tags: germany, innovation, policy