DR. INFOUpdated 3 september 2026Reviewed by Miguel Romano, MD

AWMF Guidelines: the latest S3 and S2k guidelines 2026

The current German AWMF guidelines, organised by the issuing society, each with a short synopsis and a link to the official AWMF register. It includes S3 guidelines, S2k guidelines and National Care Guidelines (NVL) from 2026 and 2025. The publisher is the AWMF, the umbrella body of more than 180 German scientific medical societies.

DDG: Dermatologie

German evidence- and consensus-based guideline on the management of penile urethritis

Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft·2025

The guideline covers the management of penile urethritis in male adolescents and adults, including diagnosis, classification, treatment, and empirical therapy. Key updates include the recommendation of ceftriaxone for suspected gonococcal urethritis and doxycycline for potential Chlamydia trachomatis co-infection or non-gonococcal urethritis.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Tinea capitis

Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG)·2025

The guideline on Tinea capitis updates the 2019 German guideline, incorporating insights from international guidelines, particularly those from the ESPD and the British Association of Dermatologists. Key updates include the rising prevalence of anthropophilic pathogens like Trichophyton tonsurans and the increased use of molecular diagnostic methods such as PCR and MALDI-TOF MS.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Management des eingewachsenen Nagels (Unguis incarnatus, Onychocryptosis) und des Zangennagels (Unguis in turriculo, Pincer -nail)

Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG)·2025

The guideline addresses the management of ingrown nails and pincer nails, focusing on practical therapy approaches and interdisciplinary consensus. Key updates include the classification of ingrown nails into three severity grades and the recommendation against foot baths in favor of antiseptic solutions.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

S3-Leitlinie Lichen sclerosus

Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft e.V. (DDG)·2025

The guideline covers the management of Lichen Sclerosus, focusing on definition, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Key updates include the recommendation of salves over creams and the avoidance of outdated terms like Kraurosis vulvae.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DDG: Diabetologie

Konsultationsfassung: Diabetes und Straßenverkehr

Deutsche Diabetes Gesellschaft·2025

The guideline "Diabetes and Road Traffic" by the German Diabetes Society addresses the safety and assessment of driving abilities for individuals with diabetes, considering advancements in continuous glucose monitoring and automated insulin dosing systems. Key updates include the emphasis on individual assessment of driving fitness using the biopsychosocial model and the impact of conditions like sleep apnea, depression, and cognitive impairments on driving safety.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Praxisempfehlungen der Deutschen Diabetes Gesellschaft - Aktualisierte Version 2025

Deutsche Diabetes Gesellschaft·2025

The guideline covers the diagnosis, therapy, and monitoring of diabetes mellitus, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration. Key updates include the use of AI-based algorithms for personalized therapy and the promotion of participative decision-making in treatment planning.

DGEM: Ernährungsmedizin

Klinische Ernährung in der Onkologie

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährungsmedizin e.V. (DGEM)·2026

The guideline addresses clinical nutrition in oncology, emphasizing interprofessional collaboration and improved patient care. Key updates include new recommendations for nutrition in surgical tumor therapies and reduced emphasis on pharmacological treatments for nutritional disorders.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Klinische Ernährung und Hydrierung im Alter

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährungsmedizin (DGEM)·2025

The guideline covers nutritional measures for older adults to prevent and treat malnutrition, hypertensive dehydration, and sarcopenia. Key updates include evidence-based recommendations for providing adequate energy, essential nutrients, and addressing the risk of malnutrition and dehydration.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DGHO: Hämatologie und Onkologie

Gastrointestinale Stromatumoren (GIST) Leitlinie

DGHO Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hämatologie·2026

The guideline from the German Society for Hematology and Medical Oncology provides recommendations for diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Key updates include the increased recognition of extraintestinal GIST as metastases and the doubling of age-standardized incidence rates in Germany from 2003 to 2011 due to improved documentation.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Kolonkarzinom Leitlinie

DGHO Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hämatologie·2026

This guideline from the DGHO covers the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer, highlighting its prevalence and the decrease in mortality rates due to advancements over the past decade. Key updates include the replacement of the guaiac test with immunochemical tests for occult blood and recommendations for total colonoscopy as a standard procedure in certain countries.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Osteosarkome Leitlinie

DGHO Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hämatologie·2026

The guideline covers the diagnosis and treatment of osteosarcoma, emphasizing a multimodal therapy approach. Key updates include the recommendation for genetic counseling and TP53 germline diagnostics before genotoxic therapies in osteosarcoma patients.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Empfehlungen der Fachgesellschaft zur Diagnostik und Therapie hämatologischer und onkologischer Erkrankungen - Rektumkarzinom Leitlinie

DGHO Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hämatologie·2026

The guideline by DGHO provides recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of rectal cancer, highlighting its prevalence and mortality trends. Key updates include the expected 22% increase in cases by 2050 and the role of aspirin in potentially reducing colorectal cancer rates.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DGKJ: Kinder- und Jugendmedizin

S3-Leitlinie Stilldauer und Interventionen zur Stillförderung

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kinder -·2025

The guideline covers breastfeeding duration and interventions to promote breastfeeding, providing evidence-based recommendations for consistent breastfeeding advice. Key updates include aligning with WHO recommendations of exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding for up to two years or longer.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Fiebermanagement bei Kindern und Jugendlichen

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kinder -·2025

The guideline covers fever management in children and adolescents in outpatient settings, focusing on fever detection, temperature measurement, and handling infection-related fever. Key updates include the recommendation against using "hyperpyrexia" and the emphasis on educating caregivers about fever as a normal immune response.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DGN: Neurologie

Funktionelle Bewegungsstörungen

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurologie (DGN)·2026

The guideline from the German Society of Neurology provides a basis for diagnosing and treating functional movement disorders, emphasizing early diagnosis and interdisciplinary collaboration. Key updates include the classification of these disorders in ICD-11 under dissociative disorders with neurological symptoms and the emphasis on positive clinical signs for diagnosis.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Lumbalpunktion und Liquordiagnostik – Leitlinien für Diagnostik und Therapie in der Neurologie

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurologie (DGN)·2026

The guideline covers lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid diagnostics in neurology, highlighting the revised McDonald criteria for multiple sclerosis diagnosis and new recommendations for lumbar puncture in patients on anticoagulation. It emphasizes the importance of cerebrospinal fluid in diagnosing neurological inflammations and outlines pre-analytical procedures, contraindications, and risks associated with lumbar puncture.

Virale Meningoenzephalitis

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurologie (DGN)·2025

The guideline covers the diagnosis and treatment of viral meningoencephalitis, focusing on the importance of rapid diagnosis and appropriate therapy to reduce morbidity and mortality. Key updates include the influence of autoimmune disease identification on assessment and treatment, and the changing epidemiology of viral infections due to active vaccinations.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DGOU: Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie

Rotatorenmanschettenruptur

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Orthopädie·2025

This guideline covers the diagnosis, classification, and treatment of rotator cuff tears, updating the 2017 version with new insights into conservative and surgical therapies. Key updates include the multifactorial etiology of tears and the role of intrinsic and extrinsic tendon changes.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Diagnostik und Therapie osteoporotischer thorakolumbaler Wirbelfrakturen

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Orthopädie·2025

The DGOU guideline addresses the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fractures. Key updates include the use of the OF classification for fracture assessment and the recommendation for MRI in detecting OF 1 fractures.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DGP: Pneumologie

S2k-Leitlinie Fachärztliche Diagnostik und Therapie der COPD 2026

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pneumologie·2026

The guideline covers the specialist diagnosis and treatment of COPD, updating the existing National Care Guideline COPD. Key updates include an expanded diagnostic approach integrating imaging and symptoms alongside spirometry, and comprehensive anamnesis including risk factors and family history.

Diagnostik und Begutachtung der Berufskrankheit Nr. 4101 Quarzstaublungenerkrankung (Silikose) der Berufskrankheitenverordnung

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pneumologie·2025

The guideline covers the diagnosis and assessment of occupational disease No. 4101, silicosis, for medical experts and insurance carriers. Key updates include revised radiology and pathology diagnostics, new chapters on acute and accelerated silicosis, and expanded sections on differential diagnoses and functional impairments.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DGRh: Rheumatologie

Behandlung der Polymyalgia rheumatica

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie·2025

The guideline covers the management of polymyalgia rheumatica and updates the 2018 S3 guideline with evidence up to January 2024. Key updates include recommendations on glucocorticoid dosing and the potential use of interleukin-6 receptor blockers for recurrent cases.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Diagnostik und Therapie der systemischen Sklerose

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie·2025

The guideline covers the diagnosis and treatment of systemic sclerosis and aims to improve patient care by providing a unified guide for various medical disciplines. Key updates include the use of ACR/EULAR classification criteria and the emphasis on early symptoms like Raynaud's phenomenon.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DGU: Urologie

Hilfsmittelberatung bei Harninkontinenz

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Urologie·2025

This guideline covers the standardization and improvement of consultation processes for urinary incontinence aids, excluding invasive aids like catheters. Key updates include the emphasis on tailored aids for multimorbid patients and the involvement of specialized nursing professionals in the aid provision process.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Chirurgische Maßnahmen bei Geschlechtsinkongruenz

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Urologie (DGU)·2025

The guideline addresses surgical interventions for gender incongruence, emphasizing the importance of preoperative hormone therapy and the obsolescence of the "real-life test". Key updates include the recommendation for "real-life experience" in the desired gender and the independence of legal gender change from surgical procedures.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DOG: Augenheilkunde

Herpes simplex Virus Keratitis

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft (DOG)·2025

The guideline covers the diagnosis and treatment of Herpes simplex virus keratitis, targeting ophthalmologists in outpatient and occasional inpatient care for adults and children. Key updates include the recommendation of topical nucleoside analogs for epithelial involvement and the use of corticosteroids for stromal or endothelial involvement, with necessary monitoring.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Trabekuläre, suprachoroidale und subkonjunktivale innovative Glaukomchirurgie

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft (DOG)·2025

The guideline by the German Ophthalmological Society and the Professional Association of German Ophthalmologists focuses on innovative glaucoma surgery, specifically trabecular, suprachoroidal, and subconjunctival procedures. Key updates include avoiding the term "microinvasive glaucoma surgery" and emphasizing that some procedures have similar success and complication rates to trabeculectomy.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Augenärztliche Screening -Untersuchung en bei Therapie mit Chloroquin oder Hydroxychloroquin

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft (DOG)·2025

The guideline provides recommendations for ophthalmic diagnostics in patients treated with Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine to detect adverse eye effects early. Key updates include the emphasis on early detection to prevent vision loss and the use of objective methods like OCT for initial screening.

Spezielle Diagnostik und Therapie von Netzhautkomplikationen bei Diabetes

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft (DOG)·2025

The guideline covers the diagnosis and treatment of retinal complications in diabetes, specifically diabetic retinopathy. Key updates include the use of wide-angle fundus photography for better documentation and the protective effect of Fenofibrate on the progression of diabetic retinopathy.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

DTG: Tropenmedizin

Diagnostik und Therapie der Malaria

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Tropenmedizin·2025

The guideline covers the diagnosis and treatment of malaria, emphasizing the importance of early parasitological diagnostics and therapy. Key updates include the recommendation to consider malaria even in non-endemic areas and the acknowledgment that malaria prophylaxis does not guarantee prevention.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Diagnostik und Therapie der Arbovirosen in Deutschland

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Tropenmedizin·2025

This guideline provides recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of arboviral diseases, highlighting the increasing importance due to climate change and the establishment of West Nile fever in Germany. Key updates include the consideration of preventive vaccination strategies and the recommendation to consult tropical disease centers for unclear cases.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

German Guideline Program in Oncology (AWMF)

S3-Leitlinie Kolorektales Karzinom

Leitlinienprogramm Onkologie·2026

The S3 guideline on colorectal cancer (version 3.2, March 2026) provides evidence-based recommendations for prevention, screening, therapy, and follow-up in Germany. Key updates include new data on treatments such as Ipilimumab/Nivolumab and Encorafenib/Cetuximab, and the introduction of new chapters on pathology, supportive therapy, and rehabilitation.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

S3-Leitlinie Prävention, Diagnostik, Therapie und Nachsorge des Lungenkarzinoms

Leitlinienprogramm Onkologie·2026

The guideline covers prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up of lung cancer, with updates including revisions of chapters on risk factors, smoking, and interventional procedures. It also updates the TNM classification, communication, and therapeutic spectrum in various chapters.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Magenkarzinom - Diagnostik und Therapie der Adenokarzinome des Magens und ösophagogastralen Übergangs

Leitlinienprogramm Onkologie·2025

The guideline covers the diagnosis and treatment of gastric adenocarcinomas and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinomas, addressing various aspects from risk factors to palliative care. Key updates include a focus on preventive measures for CDH1- and CTNNA1-positive individuals and the establishment of FLOT as a perioperative chemotherapy concept.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Supportive Therapie bei onkologischen PatientInnen

Leitlinienprogramm Onkologie·2025

The guideline "Supportive Therapy for Oncology Patients" Version 2.0, April 2025, provides evidence-based recommendations for improving the quality of life and managing side effects in cancer patients. Key updates include new chapters on central neurotoxicity and cardiotoxicity, as well as gender-sensitive language revisions.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Other German societies (AWMF)

Zahnmedizinische Betreuung geriatrischer Patienten

DGAZ·2026

The guideline addresses dental care for geriatric patients, focusing on their unique treatment needs and providing recommendations for dental professionals. Key updates include the emphasis on a multidimensional geriatric assessment and the impact of polypharmacy on dental treatment.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Diagnostik und Therapie der Alopecia areata bei Kindern, Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen

·2026

The guideline covers evidence-based recommendations for diagnosing and treating alopecia areata in children, adolescents, and adults. Key updates include the emphasis on reducing non-indicated systemic therapies to minimize iatrogenic side effects and the recommendation of dermatoscopic examination for diagnosis and monitoring.

View the guideline in the AWMF register

Konsultationsfassung S3-Leitlinie Palliativmedizin für Patienten mit einer nicht-heilbaren Krebserkrankung

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Palliativmedizin (DGP)·2026

The S3 Palliative Care Guideline (Version 3.01, March 2026) focuses on improving or maintaining the quality of life for adults with incurable cancer and their families. Key updates include the integration of eight new topics such as fatigue and anxiety, and the addition of chapters on "Relatives" and "Spirituality."

View the guideline in the AWMF register

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Frequently asked questions

What is an AWMF guideline?

An AWMF guideline is a clinical recommendation developed by a scientific medical society and published in the register of the AWMF (the umbrella body of more than 180 German scientific medical societies).

What is the difference between S1, S2k, S2e and S3 guidelines?

The S-classification indicates the methodological development level: S1 is an informal expert recommendation, S2k is based on formal consensus, S2e on a systematic evidence review, and S3 on both. S3 is the highest level. National Care Guidelines (NVL) are methodologically equivalent to S3.

Which guidelines are evidence-based?

Only S2e and S3 guidelines and National Care Guidelines (NVL) are based on a systematic evidence review. S1 and S2k guidelines are consensus- or expert-based.

Where do I find the current version of an AWMF guideline?

The current version is in the official AWMF register (register.awmf.org). In DR. INFO you can also search the guidelines in full text and open individual recommendations with citations.

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Go to the AWMF guideline register

This directory names published AWMF guidelines for qualified healthcare professionals and links to the official AWMF register. It does not replace clinical judgement or the full guideline text.