German expert in virology set to lead Germany’s drug policy, sources indicate
A prominent virologist and member of the German Bundestag, Hendrik Streeck, is reportedly poised to take on the role of the government’s drug policy advisor, according to a report by the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. Streeck, who leads the Institute of Virology at the University of Bonn’s University Clinic, is expected to be officially appointed by the federal cabinet on Wednesday, following a nomination by Health Minister Nina Warken of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Streeck, a newcomer to the Bundestag, having won the direct mandate in the February election, will succeed SPD politician Burkhard Blienert, who was appointed to the role by former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
As a prominent figure during the COVID-19 pandemic, Streeck has been known for his more relaxed stance on protective measures, having signed a controversial position paper by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) in the autumn of 2020, which advised against a general shutdown.