The Linde Group's global business unit Linde Healthcare today announced it has launched the Linde Healthcare REALfund in September. The fund is intended to support and stimulate novel and innovative ideas, research and projects relating to the use of gases in certain therapeutic focus areas of healthcare. These could be, for example, solutions that can drive improvements in clinical value, safety, patient comfort, mobility, ergonomics or cost/benefit ratio; or solutions to support new applications for the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of diseases or other physical disorders. 

Dr Walter  Koppensteiner, Head of Linde Healthcare, said, "Expectations are that gas-based therapies and innovative delivery devices will play crucial roles in healthcare. The REALfund stands for Research, Evolve, Advance, Lead, and our promise to make a real difference for patients, caregivers and medical institutions. 

Applications are open to healthcare practitioners, patient organisations, inventors and academic researchers. Specifically, the REALfund will support projects for new applications of gases, devices for safe and effective application of gases or monitoring of effects and success of gas related therapies, as well as complementary products and services in the field. The amount of money which will be granted will depend on the complexity of the project but will be limited to a maximum support of EUR 75,000 per project. Focus areas are acute pain management, respiratory medicine, and gas-enabled wound care (but without excluding promising ideas from other fields). 

The selection process for the REALfund will include internal experts and representatives from the Linde Healthcare businesses. The company will also involve external experts in the evaluation of the applications. 

About Linde Healthcare

Linde Healthcare is a global business unit of The Linde Group. It is present in over 50 countries, and has been extensively involved in the development of therapies and diagnostic procedures, where gases, gas technology or gas competence is needed. In surgeries, emergency services, intensive care, clinics and home care, the company offers a broad spectrum of products and services to effectively support medical practitioners and their patients. Linde Healthcare co-operates with researchers in hospitals and universities as well as a global network of physicians, clinicians and technicians working on the frontlines. 

Details and applications for the REALfund are found at www.linde-healthcare-realfund.com 

About The Linde Group

The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 48,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2009 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 11.2 billion. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment - in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development. 

For more information, see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com