Krebsinformationsdienst

What Krebsinformationsdienst does

Krebsinformationsdienst (KID) is a government-funded cancer information service founded in 1986 and operated as a department of the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Germany's largest biomedical research institution, headquartered in Heidelberg with a satellite office at NCT/UCC Dresden established in 2022. Its core function is to provide free, evidence-based, individually tailored cancer information to patients, families, and the general public through a daily-staffed toll-free phone service (0800 420 30 40), an email service ([email protected]), a comprehensive German-language website (www.krebsinformationsdienst.de), and free printed brochures shipped nationwide. A specialized sub-brand, krebsinformationsdienst.med, serves healthcare professionals with a dedicated 0800 number, a quarterly newsletter, and a resource center. Accessibility products include Easy Language and German Sign Language versions.

The underlying technology is a manually curated internal Wissensdatenbank (knowledge database) maintained by a Wissensmanagement team using medical guidelines, systematic reviews, peer-reviewed publications, and regulatory sources from German federal and state ministries and the European Union; this database supports physician-staffed inquiry handling rather than automated response systems. All content is quality-assured through afgis and DNGK certifications.

The business model is non-commercial: approximately 90% of funding comes from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and 10% from the State of Baden-Württemberg, supplemented by third-party research grants, private donations (which the organization may decline if a conflict of interest arises), and honoraria from publicly funded institutions. All services are provided free of charge to end users; the organization explicitly does not accept advertising or industry sponsorship. The GTM motion is service-led: a multi-channel awareness and accessibility push through website, social media (Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, WhatsApp), email newsletters, printed materials, and presence at professional congresses. Headcount is reported at 11–50 within the unit, operating within DKFZ's 3,100+-employee research institution.

Name

Krebsinformationsdienst

Legal name

Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ)

Website

https://krebsinformationsdienst.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Krebsinformationsdienst is a publicly funded, non-commercial cancer information service operated as a department of DKFZ in Heidelberg, Germany. Founded in 1986, it delivers free, physician-staffed evidence-based cancer information to patients, families, and healthcare professionals via phone, email, website, and print, with a Dresden satellite office.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Information Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

KOL Engagement & Medical Education (Advisory Boards/CME Support) (HLAGALAM)

Keywords

• Cancer information service
• Health information services
• Patient education
• Medical helpline
• Oncology information

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: The Krebsinformationsdienst is primarily funded through public funds from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) at 90% and the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of the State of Baden-Württemberg at 10%. This public funding ensures neutrality and independence from commercial interests.
2. Third-Party Project Funding: Additional funding received through research projects and cooperation projects from public research funders including the European Commission, BMBF, Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), German Research Foundation (DFG), and other public sponsors.
3. Donations: Donations primarily from private individuals. The service is authorized to decline donations that could create conflicts of interest. As a public law foundation, DKFZ as the parent organization is recognized as non-profit.
4. Honoraria: Small-scale honoraria received for lectures or work commissioned by publicly funded institutions, professional societies, health insurance funds, or their umbrella organizations or service providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Krebsinformationsdienst (KID) is a publicly funded cancer information service operated within the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. It provides free, evidence-based information on all aspects of cancer to patients, their families, the general public, and medical professionals through multiple channels, including a telephone hotline, email advisory service, a comprehensive multilingual website, printed brochures, newsletters, and online events. A dedicated "krebsinformationsdienst.med" arm offers specialized information and resources for healthcare professionals.

Product overview

The Krebsinformationsdienst (KID) operates as a unified information service rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offering consists of direct cancer information delivery through multiple channels: a telephone service (Telefondienst) and email service (E-Mail-Service) staffed by medical doctors who provide individual counseling; the comprehensive website (www.krebsinformationsdienst.de) containing cancer information across prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment; and a professional-specific service (krebsinformationsdienst.med). Supporting products include free brochures and information sheets, newsletters for healthcare professionals, online events, national address directories for psychosocial support, and accessibility features in Easy Language and German Sign Language. The organization also maintains social media presence on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp. All services are provided free of charge and funded by public funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the state of Baden-Württemberg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• krebsinformationsdienst.med: Specialized service for medical professionals and healthcare providers offering evidence-based oncology information

Quantifiable outcome

• Free service accessible to all residents of Germany via telephone and email
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nationales Centrum für Tumorerkrankungen Dresden (NCT/UCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn external location (satellite office) of the Krebsinformationsdienst is established at the NCT/UCC Dresden. Physicians working there are employed by DKFZ and integrated into all operations of the service with access to all information sources used by Heidelberg staff.
• AOK-Bundesverband, BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContractually regulated cooperation with the AOK federal association for health information collaboration.
• Felix Burda-Stiftung, MünchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContractual cooperation with the Felix Burda Foundation for cancer prevention information.
• Nationales Gesundheitsportal, Bundesministerium für GesundheitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with the National Health Portal managed by the Federal Ministry of Health.
• Thoraxklinik HeidelbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContractual cooperation with Thoraxklinik Heidelberg for thoracic oncology information.
• BRCA-Netzwerk – Hilfe bei familiären Krebserkrankungen e.V., BonnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with BRCA Network for hereditary cancer information, including joint development of Easy Language brochures on breast and ovarian cancer.
• Zentrum für Brust- und Eierstockkrebs Uniklinik KölnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of Easy Language materials on hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.
• Pädagogische Hochschule HeidelbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration in developing Easy Language materials on lung cancer.
• Deutsches Netzwerk evidenzbasierte MedizinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership in the German Network for Evidence-Based Medicine.
• Aktionsforum Gesundheitsinformationssystem (afgis)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership in afgis for health information quality standards.
• Deutsches Netzwerk Gesundheitskompetenz e.V. (DNGK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive networking with DNGK, including participation in various working groups by Krebsinformationsdienst staff.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Cancer Society: US voluntary health organization providing 24/7 cancer information via phone (1-800-227-2345), website, and patient navigation services. Closest US analogue to KID's national cancer information service operating across patient, family, and professional audiences.
• Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft (DKG): German oncology scientific society that certifies oncology centers and provides professional guidelines and patient information. Comparable to KID's role for healthcare professionals through the .med service, though primarily a professional society rather than a public information service.
• Deutsche Krebshilfe: Germany's largest cancer charity, funding cancer research and providing patient information. Operates the INFONETZ KREBS patient information line, directly comparable to KID's phone/email service but funded via donations rather than government grants.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: UK charity providing cancer information and support via phone helpline, website, and printed materials staffed by cancer information specialists. Direct model peer for KID's multi-channel patient information delivery, though broader in scope including financial and practical support.
• Ligue contre le cancer (France): French national federation of cancer departments providing cancer information and patient support, including a national cancer information service. Direct European peer operating a comparable national-scale cancer information model.
• Cancer Research UK: UK's leading cancer charity combining research funding with extensive patient-facing cancer information via website and nurse-staffed helpline. Closest international analogue to KID in combining scientific authority with mass-market patient information delivery.
• Krebsliga Schweiz (Swiss Cancer League): National Swiss cancer organization providing patient information, the Krebstelefon (cancer phone line), and evidence-based cancer content in German. Direct DACH-region functional peer to KID, though funded by donations and offering broader psychosocial services.

Broad incumbents

• National Cancer Institute (NCI): US federal cancer research agency that also operates the Cancer Information Service (1-800-4-CANCER) and provides comprehensive physician-reviewed cancer content. Larger, research-focused US incumbent with overlapping information service function to KID.

Regional players

• Cancer Council Australia: Australian national cancer NGO providing evidence-based cancer information via 13 11 20 helpline, website, and printed materials. Comparable national-scale information delivery model in a different geography, serving a similar patient/professional audience.
• Österreichische Krebshilfe (Austrian Cancer Aid): Austrian cancer charity providing patient information, counseling, and a national cancer helpline in German. Direct German-language functional peer operating in a neighboring German-speaking market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/krebsinformation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/krebsinformationsdienst-deutsches-krebsforschungszentrum
• Instagraminstagram.com/krebsinformationsdienst
• Xx.com/KID_DKFZ
• Facebookfacebook.com/krebsinformationsdienst

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Krebsinformationsdienst