A recent BMBF press release states: "Federal Research Minister Anja Karliczek gives the starting signal for the establishment of two new German Centers for Health Research (DZG): a Center for Child and Youth Health and a Center for Mental Health. There is an urgent need for action in both health areas: at least 15 percent of all children and adolescents in Germany suffer from chronic physical or mental illness, such as behavioral disorders, allergies or diabetes. In the course of life, the number of people affected at least once by mental illness, such as depression or anxiety disorders, increases to about 40 percent.

“It is important to me that children, adolescents and people with mental illnesses are helped more effectively. That's why we are expanding research in these areas, thereby improving prevention, diagnosis, therapy and care,” said Karliczek. “Our aim is to ensure that patients benefit quickly from the research results. With the German Centers for Health Research, we have created a successful model: we bring the best researchers together, offer them excellent working conditions and always focus on the patient – so the results can be integrated into the patient’s care more quickly.‘

The success of the six existing centers of the DZG is based on the networking of the researchers investigating their respective topics and the joint development of concepts for prevention and therapy. These centers bundle the nationwide research on major common diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, etc. The two new centers are to be set up according to the proven model. The future participating partners will be "determined in a competitive, science-based procedure", which will begin early next year.

Further information about the DZG (German only)