DZIF Patient Advisory Board

Patients and their families play an increasingly important role in healthcare and clinical research. Their experiences and perspectives on living with a disease can provide researchers with valuable insights.

What does the Patient Advisory Board do?

The role of the DZIF Patient Advisory Board is to advise the DZIF on various aspects from a patient's perspective. Possible risks, obstacles and consequences of the DZIF's research strategies and projects are considered and discussed from the patient's point of view. The Patient Advisory Board also contributes to improving the framework conditions and innovative competence in German infection research. Patients can provide new impulses based on their experiences and are a valuable guide to the actual needs in infection research. This leads to a sustainable improvement in the quality and efficiency of research. In addition, the advisory board promotes understanding and trust in modern infection research among the non-scientific public and other non-scientific interest groups.

Who is on the Patient Advisory Board?

The DZIF Patient Advisory Board was established in the first half of 2024 and currently consists of seven members. Each member represents a specific disease or research area and is or has been affected by the disease or has a relative who is affected. Most members are already active in patient initiatives and support groups or have taken part in clinical trials. This broad-based patient committee makes important recommendations in the areas of tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis, sepsis, Long COVID and ME/CFS, organ transplant-related infections, infections caused by hospital pathogens and fungal infections.

The inaugural meeting of the Patient Advisory Board was held on June 11, 2024. The election of a Chair and Vice-Chair and the development of rules of procedure for the work of the Board will follow in due course.

DZIF Patient Advisory Board members:

• Annette von Butler (acting spokesperson)
• Cordula Ehlers (acting spokesperson)
• Marc Franke
• Isabelle Jordans
• Andreas Pfau
• Julia Schmidt
• Heinrich Wiens