The European Union established European Reference Networks (ERM) of rare and complex diseases to secure special and interdiscplinary care. For this, optimal networking is necessary. The genetecists for heart diseases from the University of Münster are now a member of this European Reference Network and part of such a highly speacilized network.

Expertise Centers and health service providers support doctors and health scientists with an exchange of knowledge and resources across borders among EU members in those networks. The university of Münster's institute is part of the new "ERN Guard-Heart" whcih aims to improve the health care of patients with genetic heart diseases causing heart rythm disturbances and cardiomyopathy.

The reference network "Guard Heart" consists of 24 institutions from twelve member states of the European Union. Among them, Münster's institute is the only German one. Institute Director Prof. Eric Schulze-Bahr is pleased with the appreciation from Brussels  for the long experience in patient-oriented care of rare genetic heart diseases.

First steps of the reference network will be to build a disease register and collect specific information about the patients as a basis to discuss how to improve diagnosis and therapy of concernced patients.

The ERN initiative is funded by the European Comission and the EU member states supportet by the European Parliament. For the first five years, they grant the reference networks 2.5 billion euros.