Annette Widmann-Mauz, MdB Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Health

Hippocrates already recognised the significance of the body’s self healing powers
in treating sickness. He observed his patients very carefully and cared for them in such a
way as to support the body’s ability to heal itself. Today, our knowledge, which has
evolved over time, allows us to make targeted use of this ability. The result is a significant expansion of medicine, in the form of an additional therapeutic option – regenerative medicine.

Some of its applications, such as knee cartilage replacement, have already
reached patients. German research teams and biotechnology entrepreneurs have made
an exceptional contribution to this development. The future prospects of regenerative
medicine are also very promising. Current research projects hold out hope of therapies to
treat serious and widespread diseases, such as heart attacks or Parkinson’s disease, in
the long term.

For new methods to be included in standard care, not only must their safety and
quality be ensured but there must also be evidence of their benefit for patients. In this context, efforts need to be intensified. The aim must be evidence-based innovation – in biomedicine as well! In order to cover the distance from the concept to the patient, as effectively and quickly as possible, the Federal Government is doing its part to support the manufacturers of advanced therapy medicinal products. In December 2009, the Paul Ehrlich Institute opened an ‘innovations office’ to provide enterprises with regulatory and scientific advice. It serves as a central contact point for inquiries from the various firms and strives to arrive at an ‘all-in-one’ solution.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of the participants in today’s congress, a very intensive scientific exchange and insightful days in Stuttgart.

Annette Widmann-Mauz, MdB
Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Health