Healthcare system in transition
The German healthcare system is facing major challenges. According to the German government's "Health and Resilience" expert council, it is not sufficiently prepared for future crises. The situation is exacerbated by demographic change: the population is ageing and 30 per cent of healthcare professionals will retire in the next ten years.
Last edited: 18. June 2026
Advances in medicine are opening up many new treatment options, but these involve cost-intensive and lengthy therapies. At the same time, new findings allow people at risk to be identified at an early stage and enable systematic preventative measures to be taken. At the same time, the healthcare system is undergoing a process of digital transformation.
The rapid pace of change requires an intensive social discourse on the future of the healthcare system. Services and structures need to be adapted more closely to the needs of society.
The Scientific Commission "Healthcare System in Transition" is focussing on three areas:
- Personalised medicine and prevention
- Digitalisation/digital health
- Structural changes and social consequences
The aim is to develop sound expertise within these thematic modules. This includes interdisciplinary forums for scholarly exchange as well as initiatives for science-based policy and societal advice.
The Scientific Commission has a term of four years (2025–2028).
Spokesman of the Scientific Commission
Further members of the Standing Committee
- Prof Dr Sandra Ciesek, University Medicine Frankfurt, Virology
- Prof Dr Ulf Eysel ML, Ruhr University Bochum, Neurophysiology
- Prof Dr Steffen Fleßa, University of Greifswald, Business Administration and Health Management
- Prof. Dr Jutta Gärtner ML, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Neuropaediatrics
- Prof Dr Michael Ghadimi ML, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Surgery
- Prof Dr Rudolf Guthoff ML, Rostock University Medical Centre, Ophthalmology
- Prof Dr Gerd Hasenfuß ML, University Medical Center Göttingen, Cardiology
- Prof Dr Andrea Kießling, Goethe University Frankfurt, Public Law, Social and Health Law and Migration Law
- Prof Dr Frederick Klauschen ML, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Pathology
- Prof Dr Jutta Mata, University of Mannheim, Health Psychology
- Prof. Dr Karin Michels ML, University Medical Centre Freiburg, Epidemiology
- Prof. Dr Andreas Neubauer ML, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Haematooncology
- Prof Dr Josef Priller ML, Technical University of Munich, Psychiatry
- Prof. Regina Riphahn ML, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Empirical Economic Research
- Prof Dr Daniel Rückert ML, Technical University of Munich, Machine Learning in Medicine
- Prof Dr Bettina Schöne-Seifert ML, University of Münster, Medical Ethics
- Prof Dr Markus Schwaiger ML, Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Nuclear Medicine
- Prof Dr Britta Siegmund ML, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Gastroenterology
- Prof Dr Norbert Suttorp ML, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Infectiology and Pneumology
- Prof. Dr Sylvia Thun, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Biomedical Engineering
- Prof. Dr Matthias Tschöp ML, Technical University of Munich, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Endocrinology
- Prof Dr Lothar Wieler ML, Hasso Plattner Institute HPI, Veterinary Medicine
- Prof Dr Urban Wiesing ML, University of Tübingen, Medical Ethics
- Prof Dr Barbara Wollenberg ML, Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich, ENT
ML = Member of the Leopoldina
Permanent guests of the Scientific Commission
- Prof Dr Christopher Baum, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- Prof. Dr Michael Baumann ML, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) Heidelberg
- Prof Dr Patrick Cramer ML, Max Planck Society (MPG)
- Prof Dr Matthias Frosch, German Medical Faculty Association (MFT)
- Prof. Dr Dr Gerd Geißlinger, Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP) Frankfurt
- Prof Dr Jens Scholz ML, Association of University Hospitals (VUD)
- Prof Dr Wolfgang Wick ML, German Council of Science and Humanities (WR)
ML = Member of the Leopoldina
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Kontakt Dr. Stefanie Bohley
Scientific Officer, Department Science - Policy - Society
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Kontakt Dr. Matthias Winkler
Scientific Officer, Department Science - Policy - Society