G-BA-Versorgungsstudie: UNCOVER

Prof. Dr. Georg Schomerus presented the UNCOVER project—funded by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA)—which aims to investigate and reduce barriers to Long COVID and ME/CFS patient care. The project was prompted by previous patient surveys in which 80 % of respondents reported poor treatment, the psychologisation of their symptoms, and a significant loss of trust in the medical profession. The project examines the knowledge and prevailing disease models held by healthcare providers, their attitudes, mindsets, and potential stigmatisation of patients, as well as structural barriers within the healthcare system. Planned activities include surveys of both healthcare providers and affected individuals, as well as the development of a catalog of measures, which will subsequently undergo a health-economic evaluation. In his concluding remarks, Prof. Dr. Schomerus emphasised that, in his view, the role of psychological factors in Long COVID and ME/CFS is currently being overestimated, and that—from both a scientific and an ethical standpoint—it is imperative to approach this aspect with great caution.