BMFTR – Development, Severity and Treatment of Menopausal Symptoms

Funding for research networks that focus on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of menopause-related symptoms in Germany.

Within the Federal Government’s Rahmenprogramm Gesundheitsforschung (Health Research Framework Programme), this funding initiative (Förderung von interdisziplinärer Forschungzum besseren Verständnis von Entstehung, Ausprägungund Behandlung von Wechseljahresbeschwerden) by the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR – Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space) aims to strengthen research into the menopause in Germany. The ultimate goal is to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of menopause-related symptoms. 

Funding is provided for interdisciplinary research networks or, in individual cases, individual projects that conduct patient-oriented research into the mechanisms of menopausal symptoms and any associated health risks, preventive approaches and improvements in diagnosis and therapy.

Projects should be aimed at closing gaps in the understanding of the development and varying severity of menopausal symptoms. In addition, they should generate scientific findings on how the diagnosis and treatment of women with menopausal symptoms can be improved and how health risks associated with the menopause can be reduced. Projects should generate high-quality scientific findings for the evidence-based further development of preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic standards that are highly relevant to the women affected.

Possible areas of research include:

• Investigations into the underlying mechanisms of menopausal symptoms and, where applicable, resulting approaches for treatment options or risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
• Identification of procedures and biomarkers that enable better classification of menopausal stages and earlier identification of menopause-related symptoms.
• Science-initiated studies to improve pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment methods for different patient groups.
• Investigation of premature menopause (premature ovarian failure): causes, identification of risk factors, starting points for diagnosis and treatment options.

The BMFTR has appointed the project management agency DLR Projektträger to coordinate the programme on its behalf.