Tomorrow Today
Studio guest: Prof. Dr. med. Karl Max Einhäupl, CEO of the Charité
Bildunterschrift: Prof. Dr. med. Karl Max Einhäupl, CEO of the Charité
DW-TV: The Charité is an internationally renowned hospital -- it's been around for over three centuries. What would you say... in which fields does your hospital really shine?
Karl Max Einhäupl: I think the Charité is especially important and especially famous for basic sciences: genetic, genomic and epigenetic. And, of course, it's a hospital and therefore the clinical parts of neurology, of cardiology, of immunology, allergology and rheumatology are some of the strongest. I think oncology and cardiology are growing at the moment. And that's what we plan for our future: to focus on a few areas -- the areas I mentioned at the moment.
DW-TV: Now seven medical researchers who worked here went on to win the Nobel Prize for Medicine. Any more hopefuls in the wings?
Karl Max Einhäupl: I think that's a real obligation, but what we have to say - to be honest - is that it will not be possible to gain a Nobel Prize winner in the next few years. Because you have to mention that the Charité -- the new Charité in this constitution now -- has a tradition of seventeen years after the reunification of Germany. In that time we gained the number one place in the German science ranking, concerning the usual science indicators. But it'll take time to get a Nobel Prize winner here. Still I hope one day it'll be a fact.
DW-TV: Dr. Einhäupl if anyone can answer this question you can. Where do you see medicine in -- say 20 years from now?
Karl Max Einhäupl: I think in 20 years medicine will be individualized for each person. At the moment we treat patients with a disease with a certain medication. In future times probably it will be necessary to treat a certain patient with a certain disease with a certain medication. And I think that is one of the most prominent things we have to do at the Charité and in medical sciences.
DW-TV: Now with the progression of technology and the use of more and more high-tech instruments in medicine, there seems to be a movement away from the actual 'human touch'. How important is that in a doctor-patient relationship?
Karl Max Einhäupl: I think it's very important and we try to educate our young students to be both: a good doctor, and a good scientist and a good natural scientist. On the other hand, I think science is progressing so fast that the cost for science, and the cost for medication and the cost for medical care will increase enormously. And I think it's really a very important point to make it suitable for patients in Germany, in Europe, and all over the world -- especially in non-developed countries.
DW-TV: Now specialization is another area that is continuously on the rise in medicine. Could this, however, become a little bit problematic because doctors can perhaps only see one aspect of an illness or a condition?
Karl Max Einhäupl: I think concerning the scientific view it is necessary. Concerning the medical view it will be a very important thing that at least doctors in general practice will have a broad education and will be able to treat not only a patient's certain disease but his whole problem.
DW-TV: And just briefly, do you think that one day we will be able to banish illnesses and disease completely?
Karl Max Einhäupl: Of course not entirely because we become older and as we become older new diseases will develop. I think it will never be possible to really treat every disease.
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