Latest news with #KarlLauterbach
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Chilling signal': Harvard alumnus former German minister slams US
Former German health minister and Harvard alumnus Karl Lauterbach has described the US decision to block the elite university from enrolling foreign students as "research policy suicide." "When the most important and highest-performing universities are deliberately weakened, it is one of the most important pillars of the US economy that is being undermined," Lauterbach, who now leads the country's parliamentary research committee, told Germany's Rheinische Post daily on Friday. Countless companies in the United States benefit from the knowledge that Harvard graduates bring with them, Lauterbach said, noting that "many foreign Harvard graduates stay in the United States after completing their studies." Lauterbach, who served as Germany's health minister until May 6, when a new government took over, has been a visiting lecturer at the Harvard School of Public Health since 1996, according to his CV on the German parliament's website. He was also enrolled in public health-related master programmes and a post-graduate programme at the university between 1989 and 1995, according to the CV. Lauterbach said he very much hoped that Trump's decision could still be reversed. "But even if that is possible, the attack on free teaching and research sends out a chilling signal."
New European
13-05-2025
- Politics
- New European
Germansplaining: The battle over free speech
Whether sparked by the refugee crisis, the pandemic, Russia's war in Ukraine or climate change, many people already describe today's Germany as GDR 2.0 – a reference to the old, totalitarian East Germany. That is absurd, but nevertheless it is a problem if an ever-larger number of people are hesitant to voice political opinions, and feel excluded from public discourse. The internet has become a playground for trolls, hate-mongers, and libel artists – and it's been out of control for ages. But what's spiralling now, among German judges and prosecutors, is something else entirely: the value placed on free speech. A few recent cases make the point. Take the 64-year-old whose flat was raided after he shared a meme of then-economics minister Robert Habeck (Greens), doctored to read Schwachkopf (half-wit) in the style of Schwarzkopf shampoo. Or the man fined €3,500 (£2,950) for a snapshot showing then-health minister Karl Lauterbach with his right arm raised. Or €1,500 (£1,260) for sharing an ironically annotated screenshot on X of trending topics with the hashtag #AllesfürDeutschland (All for Germany – a banned slogan once used by the SA, Hitler's original paramilitary group). Or this one: a suspended seven-month jail sentence and a fine of €1,500 for the editor of a far right rag that had published a photomontage of the SPD's Nancy Faeser, then interior minister, holding a sign saying 'Ich hasse die Meinungsfreiheit' ('I hate freedom of expression'). The court didn't trust the public to get the satire. And then there was the protester in Berlin with a sign reading 'Have we learned nothing from the Holocaust?' – convicted on the grounds that she had trivialised the Shoah. To be clear: I disagree with all the expressed views, in content, form or both. And yes, words matter – that's precisely what makes this debate so tricky. Years ago, I tested the responsiveness of German law myself, after a particularly nasty post about me. Had I simply been called 'the dumbest so-called journalist ever', fine. But this was a sexualised insult – clearly libellous. I filed a complaint. Here's what happened: nothing. I haven't bothered since. When politicians file similar complaints – as in most of the cases above – things can move fast, thanks to a 2021 change in our criminal code, which now penalises insulting a 'person in the political life of the people'. Wanting to shield people in a public office from abuse is understandable. Local politicians, in particular, are dropping out in droves after being hounded, online and off. But when the law hands out six-month minimum sentences for verbal offences, it starts to feel less like protection and more like Majestätsbeleidigung – lèse-majesté, modern edition. And by the way: who in their right mind would believe the interior minister actually walks around with a sign saying 'I hate free speech'? Unsurprisingly, these decisions have triggered a wave of criticism – from the public, the media, legal scholars, and politicians themselves. Because whether intended or not, they reinforce the far right's favourite narrative: that you can't speak your mind any more. Sanctions have been tightened in other areas, too. In cases of 'deadnaming' or 'misgendering', offenders can be fined up to €10,000 under the Self-Determination Act. Legal scholars think this isn't the end, yet: the coalition agreement envisages a new independent media watchdog to monitor 'fake news' and Hass und Hetze – hate and incitement. Frauke Rostalski, a criminal law and legal philosophy professor from Cologne University, recently issued this warning in Legal Tribune Online: 'The impression quickly arises that critical voices are to be silenced by criminal law means – by the very people who see themselves scrutinised by this criticism.' She doubts that those who want to make democracy and social discourse more resilient can do so by ever more criminal law interventions in freedom of expression. Rostalski argues that state interventions and individual hypersensitivities could stifle conversation and, at worst, result in 'relevant arguments being ignored, entire topics avoided, or speakers excluded from the discourse'. Many of these verdicts will probably be overturned on appeal. But the damage is done. They offer exactly what conspiracy theorists and far right influencers crave: an invitation to play the martyr. And the courts, of all places, should know better than to hand them that script.
Local Germany
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Germany
Germany court jails accomplices of right-wing extremist group
In March, a court jailed four members of the self-styled "United patriots" group for plotting a coup and to kidnap the health minister. It was one of several trials targeting the wider far-right Citizens of the Reich movement, whose members adhere to conspiratorial narratives and reject the legitimacy of the modern German state. On Wednesday, a court in Koblenz said a 53-year-old man and 34-year-old woman had been aware of the "United patriots" group's schemes. The man had identified high-voltage power lines, part of their plan to carry out attacks against the country's electricity grid. He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. The 34-year-old woman, an administrator of several online chat groups, was found guilty of lending her car and giving a member of the group a document containing instructions on how to make explosives. She was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The four main defendants and members of "United patriots" - three men aged 46 to 58 and a 77 year-old woman - were sentenced in a separate trial in March to prison terms ranging from five years and nine months to eight years. Advertisement Together they had hatched a plan to kidnap Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, a figure of scorn for many opponents of Covid-era restrictions, and to kill his bodyguards if they deemed it necessary. The group was associated with Citizens of the Reich, whose adherents hold that the German Empire, which collapsed in 1918, still exists. They oppose democratic values and deny the German government's legitimacy - an ideology that grew significantly during the pandemic and its many government-imposed restrictions. The "United patriots" aimed to create the conditions for a "civil war" and the appointment of a new leader, around whom group members would "occupy central positions within the executive".
Local Germany
29-04-2025
- Health
- Local Germany
Q&A: What to know about the roll out of Germany's electronic patient file
Germany's new electronic patient file ( Elektronische Patientenakte ) has been made available throughout the country from Tuesday. Written as ePA for short, the electronic patient file is basically a digital database designed to allow doctors to access patient records and share them with others involved in a patient's care (other doctors, pharmacists, health insurance companies etc.) From Tuesday the software is being rolled out nationwide, but it will still take some weeks or months before the ePA is accessible in all of Germany's clinics. Participation in the digital system will be legally mandated for all medical offices from October. What's in my ePA? According to DPA , a patient's initial file will include include records of prescriptions for medications they take. Over time more content will be added, including records of medical treatments, vaccination history, medication plans, X-rays and other images from medical checks or screenings, etc. The idea is that over time, your ePA accumulates records and effectively allows your doctor to review your medical history during treatments. READ ALSO: What to know about Germany's new electronic patient records Who can see my medical information? With the ePA in place, when you visit a medical practice and they scan your health insurance card, doctors there will normally be able to access your electronic records for 90 days. Patients can review their own records in an ePA app provided by their health insurance provider ( Krankenkasse ). In the same app, patients will be able to adjust some settings around who can access their records and for how long. For example, you can extend or shorten the length of time a doctor can review your records. Additionally, during a medical consultation, patients may decide if a finding should be included in their file. For sensitive data, patients must be informed of their right to have it withheld. Advertisement Do I need to opt-out? The ePA is set to be an opt-out system, meaning all patients in Germany will automatically have their file saved in the system unless they explicitly withdraw their consent. Former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, who brought forward the electronic patient file initiative, says that patients' data will be stored on secure servers and that foreseeable security issues have been worked out during the ePA's testing period. But anyone who objects to their information being stored in this way can opt out of the ePA system completely. A family doctor loads documents into an electronic patient record 'ePA' in his practice. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann Most critics of the electronic filing system have highlighted the risk of sensitive health data being leaked in the event of hacks. Some organisations have voiced concerns about the potential misuse of data when medical records are compiled and shared. If you do want to opt out of the ePA, you should consider how it may affect the quality of medical care you can get in specific situations. For a standard visit to the doctor, the difference could be simply that you need to answer more questions about your medical history. But in an emergency situation, for example, without access to your ePA medical personnel could be missing vital information about medications you're taking. READ ALSO: The big healthcare changes in Germany in 2025 How do I opt-out? If you do want to opt out of the electronic patient file, you can do so at any time and have your digital medical records completely wiped. Health insurance providers should allow you to opt out of the ePA system on their website or in their patient apps. You may have also received a letter in the mail with instructions for doing so. Advertisement If all else fails, try calling your health insurance provider for more information, or sending them a letter. If you send a letter, be sure to include your full name, your health insurance number ( Versicherungsnummer ), and your date of birth. You'll also want to write a line clearly stating that you object to the creation of an electronic patient record by them. In German, you could write: "Ich widerspreche der Erstellung einer elektronischen Patientenakte durch die [Name der Krankenkasse]." You will need to sign the bottom of the letter and include the date and location as well.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
German health minister praises 'historic' WHO draft pandemic treaty
A new global pandemic treaty drafted by the World Health Organization (WHO) will help prevent the spread of deadly viruses such as the coronavirus in future, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has said. "It is no exaggeration to describe this agreement as historic," Lauterbach said. Thanks to the agreement, forged early on Wednesday, he said information about viruses or other pathogens with pandemic potential will be shared more quickly in the future, enabling action to be taken sooner. "It simply increases the likelihood that a local outbreak will never become a pandemic if you have an agreement like this," the health minister said. Over 190 states agreed to the draft treaty, committing to strengthening global collaboration on prevention and responses to future pandemic threats. The WHO treaty is also designed to prevent chaotic conditions in the procurement of protective materials and the unfair distribution of vaccines - both points of criticism of the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Lauterbach expressed regret that the United States no longer participates in WHO negotiations and plans to leave the body in January under President Donald Trump. "Of course, all of this has been significantly weakened by the planned withdrawal of the United States," he said. The draft treaty will now be submitted to the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the WHO, in May for consideration. The treaty would be binding only in countries that choose to ratify it.
