Together with Nancy Plaßmann, board member of Berliner Sparkasse, Eva Luise Köhler opened the evening. In her welcome, she combined heartfelt greetings with a clear appeal to politics, science, and society: “We have to set the right course today so that medical progress reaches the people who need it most.” She emphasized that gene and cell-based therapies offer enormous opportunities for those affected, but also bring responsibility: for fair access, reliable frameworks, and targeted support. The two foundations’ collaboration—such as the joint Junior Clinician Scientists for Rare funding program—shows that interdisciplinary cooperation can enable real change. Foundations can give space to topics that otherwise have no lobby and can unite efforts for those who are still too often overlooked.
“As delicate as butterflies – and at the same time as strong as lions”
A particularly moving contribution came from Andreas Miller, managing director of DEBRA Deutschland, who lives with the rare disease Epidermolysis bullosa (EB). With compelling words, he described life with the disease that is rare but determines everything for those affected. His account powerfully underscored why research needs more resources and why opportunities must be courageously seized.
Between Innovation and Financial Sustainability
How innovation, solidarity, and affordability can be combined was at the heart of the following panel discussion moderated by Prof. Dr. Christian Scholz (Vivantes Klinikum Am Urban). In a lively and multifaceted exchange, the experts connected topics from scientific fundamentals and healthcare structures to ethical questions. Prof. Dr. Angelika Eggert (University Hospital Essen) described the remarkable advances pediatric oncology has already made thanks to modern therapies and also stressed that new treatments can only have an impact if they are available broadly.
Prof. Dr. Joachim Spranger (Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin) highlighted the importance of reliable clinical trials and clear regulatory processes to safely bring innovative approaches into healthcare. Prof. Dr. Hubert Trübel (DEBRA Research gGmbH) explained that patient-oriented research and targeted support are crucial so that the journey from lab to patient becomes faster and more predictable. Context was added by Prof. Dr. Annette Grüters-Kieslich, Chair of the Eva Luise and Horst Köhler Foundation Board: “We must organize research so it truly benefits patients—this is not just a scientific but an ethical obligation.”
There was also discussion on how private and public investments could be better aligned in the future to create new funding models for translational research. Especially for rare diseases, there must be even more work within networks. The rarer the disease, the more important it is for all actors to come together.
Everyone agreed: Medical progress needs more than technology. It requires solid frameworks, the courage to act, and new ways of thinking. “Progress has always been expensive at the start,” Annette Grüters-Kieslich emphasized, “but if we see opportunities, not just risks, we can shape the future.”
“Together is the Magic Word”
The forum made clear: Only by close cooperation among science, business, politics, society, and those affected can tomorrow’s medicine be both affordable and effective. Foundations can act as drivers of social change by facilitating discourse, networking knowledge, and building bridges across sectors.
“Together is the magic word,” summarized Eva Luise Köhler. “If you want to improve care, you have to connect what should work together tomorrow.”
Impressions from the Foundation Forum
Photos: Peter Himsel
