IQWiG Autumn Symposium

Current and controversial aspects in medicine and health politics are regular topics at the annual Autumn Symposium organised by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. The spectrum of speakers is usually as broad as the range of topics and includes epidemiologists and oncologists, as well as health economists and lawyers.

‘Focus on low-value care: Insights and options for action’ is the title of this year’s Autumn Symposium – which allows us to address a highly relevant topic. We have planned a wide-ranging programme covering diverse questions: How can low-value care be identified and measured using an evidence-based approach? Which international strategies for phasing out low-value care are proven to be effective, and under what conditions – and can these be transferred to the German health care context? What regulatory, remuneration and contractual instruments could health insurance funds use? Can patients be made aware of treatments that are not medically necessary or are of limited effectiveness, or be involved in the decision-making process? What barriers lead doctors to provide low-value care, and what alternative courses of action are available? How can the pharmaceutical industry help to reduce low-value care? We will highlight the different perspectives and bring them all together in a moderated closing discussion.

Curious? Then make a note of the date: Friday, 20 November 2026, at the KOMED event complex in Cologne. We are working behind the scenes to put the finishing touches to the programme.

Full details of the programme and regarding registration will be published here shortly.