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Cooperation

The Health Council of the Netherlands is actively involved in national and international efforts to create a broader base for its advisory work.

National

Coordination and cooperation with other advisory bodies and organisations, such as the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and ZonMw - which is a combination of Healthcare Research and Medical Sciences in the Netherlands -, are of great importance for solicited and unsolicited advice. The Health Council monitors ethical and legal aspects of scientific developments in the field of public health, among other things in the context of the Centre for Ethics and Health (CEG), in which the Council collaborates with the Council for Health and Society (RVS). In the field of vaccinations, the Health Council coordinates its activities with the National Health Care Institute. The Council also maintains close contact with other organisations, such as patient associations, knowledge institutes and scientific associations.

International

The Health Council cooperates with foreign organisations in various areas:

  • In order to identify and report on issues in the field of nutrition and food quality, the Council closely follows the advisory reports of international organisations such as EFSA, WHO and FAO.
  • In the area of electromagnetic fields, radiation and health, the Council works together with the WHO.
  • In the area of protection against harmful substances at the workplace, the Council assesses the toxic qualities of substances, sometimes in cooperation with foreign institutes such as the North European Nordic Expert Group (NEG), the American National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), or the French Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (ANSES). The Council also coordinates its activities with the Senatskommission zur Prüfung gesundheitsschädlicher Arbeitsstoffe of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).
  • The Council furthermore maintains close ties with the American National Academy of Medicine. 
  • The Health Council participates in a network of international advisory bodies on vaccination (National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group, NITAG) of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).