Federal Ministry of Health establishes funding priority

The Federal Ministry of Health is establishing a funding priority on “investigation and strengthening of needs-based care addressing the long-term health effects of COVID-19 (Long COVID)”. The funding will be used for the development of novel and transferable care approaches and their integration into existing services, the generation of knowledge and networking of skills in the quest to sustainably enhance the care of persons living with Long COVID. 

The funding will go towards projects structured into four modules. The projects are scheduled to launch in autumn 2024 and will be eligible for funding until 2028. Project outlines can be submitted no later than 29 April 2024 for modules 2 and 3 and no later than 21 May 2024 for modules 1 and 4.

Module 1: Pilot projects for integrated and/or coordinated care

The projects in this module can set up and evaluate concepts to enhance the integrated or coordinated care of Long COVID patients.

Module 2: Innovations in care

To enable improved clinical characterisation and treatment, pilot projects and other initiatives that set out to develop novel innovative tools for diagnosis and therapy support as well as better monitoring of the quality of Long COVID care can be eligible for funding. 

Module 3: Investigating the situation in care and epidemiological aspects

Research in this context will focus on the current situation in care and epidemiological aspects. The areas eligible for funding will be, in particular, healthcare research looking into epidemiological issues, uptake and utilisation rates of care services, perspectives and perceptions of the general population and stakeholders as well as health economic analysis.

Module 4: Central coordinating unit and overall evaluation

It is envisaged to complement modules 1 to 3 with a coordinating unit to ensure the targeted, structured and regular integration of all of the projects funded. In addition, the coordinating unit will have further tasks specifically related to the pilot projects of modules 1 and 2. These include, in particular, the timely definition and establishment of joint requirements and standards. 

The projects will be selected in a two-step procedure. The Federal Ministry of Health has commissioned the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR Projektträger) to implement this procedure as a project manager. For further information, please visit the DLR project manager’s website.