[Clinical research in ophthalmology: Medical prerequisites]

Abstract

Background: The shortage of principal investigators is increasingly constricting the rising demand for clinical trials in Germany. This is partly because clinical trials training is outside the field of ophthalmology but another issue is that clinical trials research often has to be performed on top of the regular workload.

Objective: Medical personnel in university ophthalmology departments can be motivated for clinical trials research by means of only a few structural improvements. Long-term commitment could be improved through new career tracks in the field of clinical trials.

Conclusion: The broad adoption of these proposals could convey sustainable growth of clinical ophthalmological research in German.