Grußwort

Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken began her opening remarks by recalling the COVID-19 pandemic—a state of emergency that held the world in suspense. Regrettably, she noted, this state of emergency has still not ended for those suffering from ME/CFS. Warken expressed her gratitude to everyone advocating for improved research, care, and treatments for Long COVID, ME/CFS, and similar conditions. She added that the International ME/CFS Conference plays an important role in bringing together the latest scientific findings, care methods, and therapeutic options. The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) is providing 118 million euros in funding to support two funding initiatives in the area of healthcare research. Furthermore, through the "Alliance for Post-Infectious Diseases: Long COVID and ME/CFS," the Ministry—in collaboration with the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR)—will continue to drive this issue forward.