DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

25 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

No extra money for Long Covid research will “set patients back”

December 5, 2024
Photo: Brandon Hartley

Patient organisations have said they are worried MPs will vote against a €21 million investment in clinical research into Long Covid symptoms on Thursday.

PostCovidNL and Long Covid Nederland said the additional money is needed to provide a scientific base for treatment with existing medications which can alleviate the symptoms of some 500,000 sufferers in the short term.

A number of recently opened specialised Long Covid clinics were set up to study the symptoms and to share their knowledge with family doctors so they can prescribe medication to their patients.

But PostCovid director Dieuwke de Haen said that without the extra support for clinical research into the treatment of symptoms these would remain experimental and that family doctors would shy away from them. “They would wait until the guidelines are changed and that takes research,” she told broadcaster NOS.

De Haen pointed out that scientific grounds for treatment are a requirement for health insurers. “You can discover whatever you like in the clinics but without research into the safety and effectiveness of the treatments, most patients will not benefit,” she said.

The €21 million amendment, tabled by GroenLink-PvdA MP Julian Bushoff, is supported by most of the opposition parties but health minister Fleur Agema has already said Long Covid research has enough funding and that she wants to wait until doctors and scientists come up with new insights.

According to De Haen, that means patients have to wait even longer. “We have a list of medications which are not part of any studies but may help to improve quality of life. With the €21 million we can initiate 20 studies, including 10 aimed at children,” she said.

Bushoff said that he hoped the coalition parties would have a change of heart despite a tight health budget.

“The health budget is massive and €21 million is a relatively small amount for something that can have a great impact,” he said. “Without clinical studies only a few thousand patients will be helped instead of potentially hundreds of thousands.”

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Coronavirus Health Healthcare
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Dutch fundamentalist Protestants again say "no" to women MPs
AEX falls as Trump threatens 50% import tariff on European goods
Dutch forensic experts develop deepfake video detector
Zaanstad says yes to tourist tickets for Zaanse Schans windmills
Fewer international child abductions by parents last year
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now