+++ More long-term German investment in research centers in endemic countries needed
Berlin, 27.06.2024 "Although Germany is increasing its research on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), this increase puts it below the average of the ten most productive countries in the world," explained Jürgen May, Chairman of the Executive Board and Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine. In addition, research funding in this area has declined since 2018. This was determined by the study "An assessment of the contribution of German institutions to research on neglected tropical diseases", which was commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the leadership of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) 31 NTD experts. The analysis was carried out in collaboration with the German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases (DNTDs) e.V., the German Society for Tropical Medicine, Travel Medicine and Global Health (DTG) and the German Society for Parasitology (DGP). Numerous authors and other experts and interested parties attended the presentation at the German Bundestag.
During a panel discussion afterwards, Beate Kampmann, Scientific Director, Charité Center for Global Health and member of the Steering Committee, German Alliance for Global Health Research (GLOHRA), called for support for interdisciplinary research approaches and funding mechanisms that allow cooperation on an equal footing with partners in low- and middle-income countries. This is already well established in other countries such as the UK and USA. Achim Hörauf, Director of the Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology at Bonn University Hospital and spokesperson for the DNTD, described how many German universities already have a large number of long-term and stable collaborations, particularly with Africa.
Christine Dahlke, Head of Translational Immunology, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), called for a stronger focus on the formation of networks and platforms in order to accelerate research into vaccines against pathogens that can trigger epidemics and to prepare for outbreaks at the same time. The fight against poverty-related, neglected tropical diseases must be integrated into this work.
The presentation of the research study received cross-party support from members of the German Bundestag: Ruppert Stüwe, MP, member of the Subcommittee on Global Health and member of the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment, member of the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Neglected Tropical Diseases, Georg Kippels, MP, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Global Health and of the Committee on Health, Spokesperson of the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Neglected Tropical Diseases, Ottmar von Holtz, MP, Member of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development and of the Subcommittee on Global Health, Andrew Ullmann, MP, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Global Health, Member of the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Laura de la Cruz, DLR Project Management Agency, Department of International Health Research, Coordination One Health and Pandemic Prevention, welcomed the presentation of the study on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF).
Carsten Köhler, Chairman of the German Society for Tropical Medicine, Travel Medicine and International Health (DTG), member of the DNTD Board and of the Steering Committee, German Alliance for Global Health Research (GLOHRA) moderated.
The study "An assessment of the contribution of German institutions to research on neglected tropical diseases" was prepared by 31 NTD experts from 16 German research institutions and organizations. As far as possible, each expert tandem worked on a specific neglected tropical disease. They gathered evidence-based information, data and assessments from various sources. This included a systematic literature search for articles with at least one co-author from a German institution and a systematic search for publication metrics, patents and clinical trials.
