That Federal Government wants to better research secondary infectious diseases such as ME/CFS or Long Covid Syndrome over the next ten years. “We need a long-term strategy to better understand the causes and mechanisms of post-infectious disease and to sustainably improve care for those affected,” said Research Minister Dorothee Bär (CSU). Around 500 million euros will be provided over ten years as part of the initiative starting in 2026. The ministry is calling the time frame the National Decade Against Post-Communicable Diseases.
ME/CFS stands for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and is a serious disease that can occur especially after infection – for example corona infection. This is the most severe form of Long Covid. Those affected feel extremely and permanently tired and can suffer from many other symptoms such as muscle pain, racing heart, sensitivity to light and noise, or difficulty finding words and speaking. In severe cases, ME/CFS causes the need for treatment or complete bed rest.
Curing this disease should be possible in the mid-2030s
In the paper the important points of the coalition… Mirror attended, said the former Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) and CDU MP Stephan Albani described the disease as “one of the biggest health policy challenges of the 21st century”. More than 1.5 million people are affected in Germany, mainly due to the large number of cases following the corona pandemic.
According to Lauterbach, 15 million euros are allocated in the federal budget in 2026 for research into this disease. “From 2027 to 2036 we will spend 50 million euros annually,” he quoted Mirror Lauterbach. This means that Germany can become a pioneer in the fight against Long Covid and ME/CFS, he said. The goal was to research the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in such a way that they could be cured by the mid-1930s.
