Health News in English
Latest health headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Spaarne Gasthuis maintains full-service hospital in Haarlem-South
Spaarne Gasthuis has announced it will maintain a full-service hospital in Haarlem-Zuid, providing 24-hour and emergency care while converting its Hoofddorp site into a day-treatment facility. The Cit...
Absence due to mental health issues worsens labor market shortages
Absenteeism due to mental health issues rose by 7.1 percent between 2024 and 2025, even as overall sick leave declined. These long-term absences, particularly prevalent among women, are expected to wo...
Skin cancer will soon be the most common type of cancer
Skin cancer is projected to become the most prevalent form of cancer in the Netherlands by 2045, driven by both an aging population and concerning social media trends like intentional unprotected sun ...
After breast cancer treatment, Parool journalist Lorianne van Gelder (41) joins Olympic Stadium run: I curse and sigh, mope and complain
After completing a year of treatment for breast cancer, journalist Lorianne van Gelder participated in the LoveLife Run at the Olympic Stadium. The event proved to be a challenging experience for the ...
No power and no signal, but you need to call emergency services: what then?
The Amsterdam municipality conducted an emergency drill on Tuesday simulating a large-scale, long-term power outage to test local response capabilities. Mayor Femke Halsema attended the exercise, whic...
VVD wants smoke- and vape-free zones around schools
The Amsterdam VVD has proposed a ban on smoking and vaping within 50 meters of schools to combat rising youth nicotine addiction. The plan also includes stricter enforcement against illegal flavored v...
Eight 'sugar-free' Starbucks drinks contain sugar, spark lawsuit
Starbucks is facing a lawsuit alleging that eight drinks labeled as sugar-free actually contain significant amounts of sugar. While the plaintiffs claim the marketing is misleading, Starbucks argues t...
Want to know your chances of going bald? Look at this relative
Dermatologist and hair specialist Petra Dikrama is launching a new series to debunk common hair myths and explain the science behind hair health. The first installment of this educational series focus...
Daylight saving time begins Sunday, October 25, 2026: do we set the clock forward or back?
On October 25, 2026, clocks in the Netherlands will be set back one hour to signal the start of winter time. This annual ritual continues despite ongoing debates regarding its necessity and potential ...
One dead, several hospitalizations and a liver transplant: poisonous death cap mushroom alarms doctors
Medical professionals in the Netherlands are raising urgent alarms regarding the prevalence of the deadly green death cap mushroom. The fungus, which resembles a common wild mushroom, has already caus...
Father Wouter launches anti-vaping campaign warning young people about skin and sex life damage
Father Wouter Snoeijers has launched a unique anti-vaping campaign that uses fictional, provocative flavor names to highlight potential negative effects on teenage skin and sexual health. The initiati...
At Flow Community you don't have to rush home after yoga: 'There is time for tea and a chat'
Sisters Ngudju and Mwanini Makangira have opened Flow Community in Amsterdam's Oud-West to provide a more personal alternative to standard yoga studios. The center emphasizes social connection by enco...
Spaarne Gasthuis chooses Haarlem and invests in a new hospital
Spaarne Gasthuis has decided to maintain a full-service hospital with 24-hour emergency care in Haarlem, while converting its Hoofddorp facility into a planned-care day hospital. This reorganization a...
Spaarne Gasthuis to build entirely new hospital in Haarlem
Spaarne Gasthuis plans to build a new hospital in Haarlem-Zuid by 2033 to consolidate clinical and emergency care services. Consequently, the Hoofddorp branch will be repurposed into a day hospital fo...
Igmar Felicia gets his own morning show in Curaçao after long break due to PTSD
Radio presenter Igmar Felicia is returning to the airwaves with his own morning show on the Curaçao-based station Dolfijn FM. The DJ stepped away from his career in 2024 to address PTSD stemming from...
No upfront costs, but help available: how smoking cessation reimbursement works
Starting in 2027, patients will no longer need to pay upfront for smoking cessation medication as pharmacists will bill insurance providers directly. Currently, cessation programs and prescribed aids ...
Gordon 35 kilos lighter on Men's Health cover: 'Diabetes is in remission'
Singer Gordon has lost 35 kilograms and achieved medical remission from diabetes after committing to a disciplined lifestyle of strength training and walking. He shared his journey in Men's Health, ho...
ANWB and Consumers' Association: serious defects in two car seats, models immediately withdrawn from sale
The ANWB and Consumentenbond have issued safety warnings for Britax Römer and Axkid car seats after discovering serious defects during crash tests. Sales for the affected Axkid model have been st...
UMC: increasingly unhealthy food supply in cities, Amsterdam also scores poorly: 'Hurry up with Food Law'
A study by the UMC across ten Dutch cities shows that urban food environments have become increasingly unhealthy over the last decade. Local officials are now calling for a new national Food Act to gr...
Amsterdam council demands clarity on actions of care agencies in case of Giovanni S., who stabbed three people in December
The Amsterdam city council is calling for an investigation into how various care agencies and the police handled the case of Giovanni S. This request follows findings that S. was already known to auth...
Falls in Haarlem: 9,575 elderly people seriously injured in the past five years
Elderly residents in Haarlem experienced 9,575 serious injuries from falls over the last five years, though recent data shows a downward trend in these incidents. Health experts note that targeted pre...
Phone ban at school may backfire: 'Young people compensate with screen time at home'
Starting January 1, the Dutch government plans to expand the mobile phone ban in schools to include playgrounds and break times. While the policy aims to curb distractions, experts caution that it cou...
Brain researchers win Nobel Prize in Medicine
Three researchers have been awarded the annual Nobel Prize in Medicine, with the ceremony set for December 10. The prize, funded by Alfred Nobel's estate, is the first to be announced in a series of a...
Living with a disability: It can happen to anyone, so treat us as equals
Dinand Brummelhuis highlights the ongoing issues of discrimination, prejudice, and social exclusion faced by individuals living with disabilities. He emphasizes the importance of equal treatment for a...
'Yo, how are you?' asks Ibi (18) to Dr. Rutger before giving him a fist bump; 'respect to you too,' the doctor clumsily replies
An eighteen-year-old named Ibi greets his doctor, Rutger, with a fist bump and a casual greeting. Although the doctor initially struggles to bridge the generational gap, he ultimately realizes he has ...
Caregivers need more government support: 'Burnout is a problem'
The SCP warns that caregivers in the Netherlands are at risk of burnout and cannot be viewed as a simple solution to formal care shortages. Researchers urge the government to provide better leave prot...
Car lands in canal in Amsterdam-Noord, bystanders jump into the water
A driver was rescued from the Noordhollandsch Kanaal in Amsterdam-Noord after his Canta microcar plunged into the water this evening. Two bystanders jumped in to save the man, who was subsequently tra...
WV-HEDW players injured by slippery artificial turf: seniors refuse to play on main pitch
Senior football teams at WV-HEDW in Amsterdam are refusing to play on the club's new artificial grass main field due to severe safety concerns and recurring player injuries caused by the slippery surf...
Elena (21) survived leukemia twice and is now suffering flashbacks from that one slur
Elena Grootenhuis, a 21-year-old two-time leukemia survivor, experiences traumatic flashbacks when she hears people use cancer as a swear word. She now dedicates her time to educating young people abo...
Are you easily overstimulated and sensitive to light and sound? You might be highly sensitive
Approximately one in five people are highly sensitive, making them more susceptible to sensory stimuli like light, sound, and the emotions of others. While this trait can lead to overstimulation and s...