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Exactly two years after the start of its publications, the group of authors presents its 6th ad hoc statement on SARS-CoV-2/CoViD-19 and calls for the immediate integration of corona care into routine medical care. Tests without cause should be stopped; instead, symptoms and diseases should be clarified using standard medical procedures. The outpatient-inpatient gap in the care of sick infected people must be closed through energetic efforts in order to show support and, if necessary, to enable regulated hospitalization. The vulnerable groups are to be defined more precisely under the conditions of their vaccination status, and among the diverse questions in social and psychological care, more attention should be paid to the needs of institutionally cared for patients in hospitals and nursing homes and, for example, the farewell of the deceased should be given a dignified framework.

Seven demands are made in this regard. "The end of the pandemic will not be televised", a pandemic does not end suddenly, but requires complex compromises and therefore requires strong, experienced political leadership. Since many measures have been introduced without valid justification, the difficulty now is to explain their termination without reference to the cessation of these reasons. Politicians face the difficult task of shaping this phase of the end of the pandemic.

The 8th theses paper expands the tried and tested tripartite division of epidemiology, prevention and social policy by a preceding chapter, which proposes a conceptual understanding of the epidemic that differs from the common, biological-linear view. A total of four topics are dealt with:

• The pandemic as a complex system,
• Control through indicators and development of indicator sets,
• Children and adolescents in the corona pandemic,·
• Politics and democracy under pandemic conditions.

Theses paper 8 tries to gain more perspective, primarily by proposing a concept for understanding the pandemic, secondly by proposing a set of indicators suitable for controlling, thirdly by further deepening the knowledge of the children and adolescents in the pandemic, and fourth, by attempting political interpretation to bid.

Summary:
The proposed concept is that the epidemic should be seen as a complex system. The individual persons represent the elements of the system, the infection as a form of interaction, the infection processes as a result of virus, host and environmental properties according to the rules of this interaction, that are indeed present in complex systems, but are not visible. Success-oriented handling of an epidemic requires knowledge of its essential characteristics (attractors, e.g. age dependency), the expansion of knowledge through iterative interventions (e.g. evaluation of school closings), and as the basis of all efforts, social self-confidence and openness to different approaches.

A concrete proposal for a multidimensional indicator set for control is presented, which, based on the draft of the German Hospital Society, focuses on age stratification and a reporting rate specified according to vaccination status, comorbidity, socio-economic factors and positivity rate along with test frequency. Outcome indicators such as hospitalization (also specified according to comorbidity and vaccination protection), intensive care and the need for ventilation are also used. However, a political line in the transition to multidimensional control systems is currently not discernible.

During the pandemic, children and adolescents made a significant contribution to society and, in doing so, accepted serious disadvantages themselves. In all measures that will apply in the future, your best interests must be given priority.

Instead of linearity and subordination, autonomy, ambiguity or VUCA (variability, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) are the words that have to be implemented in politics today.

This year's Innovation Report rates 31 active ingredients of medicines launched in 2017.

Innovation Report 2020:

long version

short version

Presentation of Prof. Dr. Gerd Glaeske

The aim of the present paper is to scientifically elucidate the current epidemiological crisis and to draw recommendations from the given situation for effective preventive measures. The proposals for prevention are placed within a sociopolitical framework that, in the view of the authors, is inextricably connected with the current circumstances. The comprehensive analytical section is preceded by a brief overview of the established positions. The authors endeavour to clearly point out the facts and issues at hand, thereby avoiding any criticism of the actors who in the past few weeks have had to make crucial decisions on the basis of information that one might say was “even more incomplete” than it is today. The statements made in this position paper are intended as a constructive contribution towards supporting the strategies taken in the coming weeks.

More than 75 percent of all medication prescriptions are so called generics. Most of these drugs are made in India and China. This means long supply chains. Quality, manufacturing conditions and reliability might suffer. In China, the regions in which the products are manufactured are also affected by the corona virus, which will certainly exacerbate the delivery difficulties.

More information

This year's Innovation Report rates 21 active ingredients of the total of 31 medicines launched in 2016.

Oncologics were most frequently evaluated, five drugs contain antiviral drugs, three are recombinant coagulation factors. The remaining active ingredients cover eight further indications. For the first time, a vaccine (the HPV vaccine, which i.a. protects against cervical cancer) was rated in this report. Eight medicines were launched with a fast track assessment.

The special chapter of the report is dedicated to the current topic "vaccination and compulsory vaccination" and discusses measles, HPV and flu vaccines in particular.

The data of the RKI, the KiGGS study and the WHO state that the measles vaccination rates have still not been reached. They show that compulsory vaccination, which has already been introduced in some European countries, has not eliminated measles. The Innovation Report 2019 presents various approaches how an increase in vaccination rates could succeed and how the potential arguments of the anti-vaxxers could be. It illustrates the great importance of physician-patient communication in this context. Compulsory measles vaccination should be the ultima ratio - education and information campaigns need to be developed and strengthened in the public.

Although five medicines were rated with a green overall traffic light, the increase in red traffic lights (61% of all assessed medicines) has degraded the hope of a positive development of newly licensed medicines compared to the last year. For six medicines red hand letters with important information for physicians and patients were sent. This also confirms the assumption that current approval studies provide only a limited picture of effects and side effects, therefore pharmacovigilance studies in the "aftermarket" are urgently needed.

Medicines that represent a true therapeutic innovation and have been assessed with a green (added) benefit signal are human papillomavirus vaccines and medicines in cancer treatment of multiple myeloma (Daratumumab and Elotuzumab) and in the treatment of chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (Sacubitril/Valsartan). Only one medicine (Elbasvir/Grazoprevir) is cheaper than the ACT and has been given a green light in this category. Regarding the price twelve medicines were rated as equally expensive (marked with a yellow traffic light) and four medicines as more expensive (marked with a red traffic light). In comparison with already available therapies, five medicines are marked in green, four in yellow, and 14 in red. Thus, only nine of the new medicines on the market contribute to already approved pharmaceuticals in a positive way.

Innovation Report 2019:

long version

short version

Presentation of Prof. Dr. Gerd Glaeske

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Germany with 270,000 new cases a year. In every seventh skin cancer, the most dangerous is black skin cancer (malignant melanoma), which accounts for around 14% of skin cancers, with 86% white or pale skin cancers. The number increases every year - in the years 2009 to 2015, 50% additional diagnoses of light skin cancer and 30% of black skin cancer were made. Skin cancer is often curable if diagnosed early enough.