Methodical Problems in Early Detection Programmes

The symposium held at Freiburg on September 10th, 1983 had been con cerned with methodical problems in early detection. chiefly of can cer. The first lectures dealt with mathematical models. They were followed by contributions to the possibilities of obtaining the pa rameters required by the models and for the assessment of the me thods. The two final lectures outlined a monitoring system for rare diseases and some problems in early detecting heart and circulation diseases. The meeting had been organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fUr Me dizinische Dokumentation. Informatik und Statistik (GMDS). Thus the programme committee was set up by the heads of the GMDS Arbeitsgrup pen affected by the respective topics. namely Dr. Keil (epidemiology}. Prof . Dr. NeiS (statistical methods). PD Dr. Schwartz (systematic preventive checkup and early detection). PD Dr. Trampisch (methods of prognosis and decision making) and the signer. This is a welcome opportunity to put on record my thanks to various people and organizations. The lecturers had elaborated their manus cripts and some have revised them. The individual discussions had been conducted by Prof. Dr. Dietz. Prof. Dr. Michaelis. Prof. Dr.