Deutsche Rheuma-Liga Bundesverband e.V. was founded in 1970.
The aims of the organisation are:
- Raise awareness about rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs)
- Improve the quality of life for people with RMDs
- Campaign for the improvement of medical treatment, psychological and social support
All types of RMDs, muscoskeletal, inflammatory or degenerative, are represented by the organisation. The organisation has 16 regional (Länder-) organisations which cover the whole country and three nationwide working member organisations for people with ankylosing spondylitis, lupus erythematodes and scleroderma. The umbrella organisation has 18 paid staff members. 11.000 volunteers are working for Deutsche Rheuma-Liga. In total the Deutsche Rheuma-Liga Bundesverband e.V. counts about 300.000 individual members in the 19 member organisations. One of the largest recent campaign was designed to create more public awareness that RMDs are not a problem of old age but that people of all different age groups can suffer from RMDs.
The most important topics for the organisation in the coming years are:
- Improving access to rheumatologists
- Increasing the number of young members
- Improving information and advice services for people with RMDs