[Health services research. A joint funding programme of the BMBF and GKV]

The article reports on a funding programme jointly initiated in 2000 by Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research and its statutory health insurance funds ("Health Services Research in the German Health Care System"). In the past 5 1/2 years about 30 heterogeneous projects were funded with overall less than 6 million euros. Though in some projects obstacles to the research process have already become evident, it seems too early to evaluate their scientific merit. If health services research under the auspices of Germany's social insurance schemes is to develop further more funds must be invested and additional institutions (e.g. pension funds) included.