“Strengthening the immune system is much more effective in preventing infections than any measures”.

December 28, 2021

“Strengthening the immune system is much more effective in preventing infections than any measures”.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, we have mainly had to adhere to measures. But why has the immune system not or hardly been in the spotlight? Carla Peeters, PhD in immunology and nutrition & lifestyle expert, also believes that too little attention has been paid to strengthening the immune system. According to her, we are playing catch-up. “We need an optimally functioning immune system for fewer infections through natural defences and a good response to vaccines.” This time in the section Another sound a basic lesson in immunology and lifestyle.


Let’s start with what immunology means. The immune system protects us through various defence mechanisms. When the immune system does not function properly, it can result in diseases such as autoimmune diseases, allergies and cancer. The immune system may also be involved in metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. The immune system can be divided into the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system.

The innate and the adaptive immune system

The innate immune system is the first and not specific defence mechanism. It stops all potential disease-causing organisms. “This system is formed by physical barriers, such as skin, saliva and mucous membranes. These mucous membranes contain cells (macrophages, neutrophils, basophils and mast cells) that secrete substances that destroy viruses and are eliminated by these cells. In many cases this is enough to stop a pathogen or foreign substance. If too much pressure is put on this immune system, it switches to the second defence mechanism, the adaptive immune system.

The adaptive immune system is the second defence mechanism. Cells from the innate immune system present the pieces of the pathogen or foreign substance to B cells and T cells of the adaptive immune system. “Both B and T cells are activated. The B cells cause the release of antibodies. The antibodies formed move freely in the blood and can bind foreign pathogens. The pathogen-antibody complex is then broken down and cleared away by macrophages, among others. There are also T cells that directly target pathogens that have entered cells. They can help to destroy these infected cells and on the other hand strengthen the antibody response by B cells and also keep it in check again.”

The B and T cells can develop into memory cells. These cells are activated much faster during a subsequent infection than during the first infection. “The memory causes an increased antibody response, often with a stronger binding to a protein of the pathogen and a broader response against several pieces of the protein (epitope). This increases the chance that the pathogen will be cleared effectively and quickly. You can see this in natural infections and also in vaccinations. The chance of becoming ill from an infection decreases.”

What can we do to support our immune system?

Sixty to seventy percent of the cells of the immune system are located in our intestines and are connected to the intestinal flora. A healthy bacterial flora in the intestines, skin and mucous membranes is important for a properly functioning immune system. What choices can we make ourselves to support our flora and thus our immune system? “Healthy diet and lifestyle. It is known that the intestinal flora changes when we eat differently and exercise less. Both of these have been happening during the lockdowns. During a prolonged lockdown it is much more difficult to stick to it. When we are bored or under stress, we consume foods that are less beneficial to the immune system. Because sports activities are closed during the winter months, people also move less. A quarter of the Dutch population gained weight during the corona crisis, with an average of 5.6 kilos.”


Her advice is to eat 200-300 grams of vegetables a day, one or two pieces of fruit and a maximum of five glasses of alcohol spread over the week. Add to this a daily 30-minute walk in the sunlight for much-needed exercise, energy, warmth and vitamin D. “If you don’t make enough vitamin D or get it in other ways, all sorts of processes in the body don’t work or don’t work properly, including the activity of immune cells. I used to get cod liver oil drops, you don’t hear about that anymore. In 2018, Minister Bruins decided to remove the reimbursement for vitamin D from the basic health insurance. The Health Council has not yet decided to reinstate vitamin D in the basic insurance while this could lead to many savings.”

“A spring dip is often linked to a lack of vitamin D and sunlight.”

People who ended up in ICU during the first wave of the Corona-crisis were mainly overweight, type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. “In the second wave, it was mostly immigrants. People with darker skin produce vitamin D much more difficult. We often don’t realise that we have a deficiency.” What are the symptoms of a deficiency? “Overtired, irritable, depressed, reduced ability to think, there are quite a few complaints in which vitamin D is involved. If the body has too low a concentration of vitamin D, it will choose for itself what it will use it for in order to survive. The immune system can then slow down or become less effective, allowing pathogens to multiply and invade more easily. A spring dip is often related to a lack of vitamin D and sunlight. The sun is very important for our survival.

Many studies now show that vitamin D plays a very important role in the proper functioning of the immune system to control the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This was already known much longer for other upper respiratory infections such as the influenza virus. The same applies to vitamin C, another vitamin that has received too little attention according to Carla. “High concentrations of both vitamins can even reduce the severe form of Covid-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.” Preventive vitamin D 2000 IU for young people over 16 and adults and, for example, at least daily an apple with peel because of vitamin C in combination with beneficial flavonoids and healthy bacteria on the peel, says Carla. “Possibly with some extra vitamin C. For younger children, the dose can be adjusted proportionally. For the elderly and people with chronic diseases, a higher dose may be needed temporarily.”

The importance of vitamins C and D to prevent severe Covid-19

From the start of the pandemic, Carla has told various media, such as NPO1, Trouw, Brabants Dagblad, HP De Tijd and also politicians, VWS and via VNONCW-MKB Nederland to the OMT the importance of, among other things, vitamin D and vitamin C to prevent the severe form of Covid-19 and also as extra support in the treatment. “In the meantime, this view has been called for attention both nationally and internationally by medics and other scientists. Two hundred scientists and doctors have drawn the attention of governments worldwide to the role and importance of vitamin D in relation to a SARS-CoV-2 infection. In England, two hundred doctors recently suggested vitamin C as a treatment for Covid-19. Minister van Ark sent a letter to the House of Representatives on the 27th of February 2021 stating that vitamins D and C can be used as adjuvants in the treatment of Covid-19.

Clinical research with vitamins D and C in this context is funded by ZonMW.” In February, DSM launched a new form of vitamin D, calcifediol, in collaboration with an Australian organization Bioclinic. Spanish doctors achieved very good results with this form of vitamin D for the recovery of patients with severe Covid-19. Vitamins D and C alone won’t get you there, because according to Carla, it’s about making people realise that diet and lifestyle are the most important things for a strong immune system and preventing bacterial or viral infections. “It requires leadership over your body, so taking more responsibility. What can I do to keep my body healthy? A growing number of people realise that this is important, but for years little attention has been paid to this. What I find difficult is that because of the pressure and fear caused by lockdowns, closed schools and sports facilities, loss of work, and the measures of the past year, people are actually making the wrong choices.”

Healthy diet and lifestyle

Strengthening the immune system by healthy diet, lifestyle and extra vitamin D (in summer by exposing the skin to sunlight) and vitamin C, magnesium and in case of a cold zinc, is much more effective in preventing infections than all measures from mouth masks to a test society, says Carla. “Moreover, this way, without measures, mental and psychological health can be boosted again. Above all, it creates room for herd immunity and new virus variants can keep other bacteria and viruses in check.”
Rapid tests, she says, are not suitable for testing people without symptoms. “With a low prevalence, only 25 percent of the positive results can be truly positive. With a self-test, this is estimated at 10 percent. And a negative result does not mean that we can say with certainty that someone does not have an infection. So there are false positives and false negatives. We have already paid a billion euros in the first months of 2021 to test mostly people and children without symptoms. The tests are not suitable for that. And now testing is done so that people can go to the casino or a party again, while those tests are unreliable. Even in England they now realise that this does not make sense. We do not know what we are doing. Fortunately, last week some hospitals and health insurers wrote a fire letter to the cabinet that it would be better to invest the investments for a test society in a better diet and lifestyle.”

Coronavirus is seasonal

An extra boost of spring is that we are in a favourable period as far as viruses are concerned, because the coronavirus is seasonal. This means that from April/May onwards it will be less and less present and cause fewer infections. “It is going to decrease now because of the weather. After the first wave, the infection rate was low all summer because the temperature was too high. People are going to go outside again and exercise more in the sun and get in better shape and have more fun. This leads to a healthier diet, more vitamins and less stress, all of which helps reduce the number of infections. In addition, it is wise to minimise the use of mouthguards and disinfectants, as their frequent and prolonged use weakens the natural flora and thus the immune system and actually promotes infections.”

The (Lack of) Health in Young Women

By Carla Peeters • March 13, 2025
Many countries now face a growing problem with an aging population and declining childbirths. Too many infants still die unnecessarily before the age of five years. Countries increasingly struggle to keep their economies stable. While Public Health experts communicate to focus on healthier future generations, declining health in young females is ignored. The healthiest generation with a flourishing economy is achieved by a holistic strategy addressing Young Women’s Health as a Public Health priority. The Healthiest Generation of the World in 2040 A Federation of Organizations involved in Public Health in the Netherlands has the ambition to reach the healthiest generation of the world in 2040 . Health is aimed at all levels; mental, social, and physical. To achieve this goal, the Netherlands needs the healthiest young females of the world. In contrast, data analysis from the Netherlands shows the opposite; the health of young women is declining fast. In other Western countries, it won’t be much better. The health of young women has worsened worldwide; it is time to face reality. Women’s bodily functioning and metabolism differ from men and need specific female-adapted health support. While many health problems in a population could be prevented when young females are supported for optimal health prior to pregnancy, this is not a priority of Public Health Agencies. Good health for the next generation starts with a strong and resilient immune system before pregnancy and during the first 1,000 days around pregnancy, birth, and postpartum breastfeeding. Childbirth and children’s health are declining; the number of women dying during pregnancy (within 42 days after labor) is increasing, as well as the number of abortions. Without change, these conflicting trends may develop into a disaster touching all levels of society. The Public Health Future Outlook of the Netherlands predicts that close to 12 million people will have a chronic condition by 2050. Young Women’s Health Is Declining Around half of the young people aged 6-25 years in the Netherlands experience mental health problems. Moreover, 47% of the people aged 15-44 years are diagnosed with at least one chronic disease, with young women more often diagnosed than men. When diagnosed with a chronic disease, people work less, experience more sick leaves, and are less productive. Unfortunately, not being able to work contributes to poorer health and income. An even larger percentage of young people (79%) still suffer from a negative impact of the pandemic, with women and lower-educated individuals hit hardest and experiencing mental problems like emotional exhaustion, stress, and hyperactivity. A recent study published in PNAS showed a faster aging of the brains of young females as compared to young males, which might be related to chronic stress exposure. Students experience more stress than before due to worries about inflation and the high costs of living. Within the EU, the Netherlands has grown into the most expensive country to live in. Unfortunately, there is much more that is troubling the health of young females. Increased Drug Use and a Dangerous Beauty Myth During the pandemic, the use of antidepressants increased by 16% for those aged 16-24 years and for children. Women are prescribed antidepressants earlier and take them twice as much as men. While the positive effects of SSRI have been criticized repeatedly and women report more side effects than men, these medicines are still frequently prescribed by medical doctors. One in four young people in the Netherlands use Ritalin or Concerta ( methylphenidate ) without a medical prescription to improve concentration and study results. Most people are unaware of the potential risks, like sudden death, that are well-known as a potential side effect. Research has shown that 5.5-22.5% of the young have used ADHD medication without a doctor’s prescription. Furthermore, in mid-2023, a worrisome increase in NSAID like paracetamol (Tylenol or Acetaminophen) and ibuprofen use was observed, especially in young girls, increasing the risk for poisoning. The use of antibiotics like amoxicillin increased for children 0-10 years (55%) and for those aged 11-20 years with 50%. As 2023 was the first year after the pandemic with all festivals open to the public, an increased use of party drugs (like ecstasy ) among those aged 16-35 years was noticed with regularly registered symptoms of poisoning. The online and interconnected world exposes the risk of cyberbullying among young people. Ironically, many are feeling lonelier than ever before and are struggling with their weight and self-confidence, setting them up for poor health as adults. The beauty myth is another danger. During the years 2019-2022, the use of fillers increased by 80%, and the use of Botox doubled among young women. Exposure to microplastics, nanoplastics, and nanoparticles has increased. Furthermore, the concentration of PFAS/PFOA in Dutch drinking water is found to be above the norm and may decrease the fertility of both women and men. On the other hand, the use of oral hormonal contraceptives by young girls diminished in the Netherlands, with only a slight increase in the use of an intrauterine hormonal device. Recent studies showed that there is an increased risk, although small, of myocardial infarction or stroke when using hormonal contraceptives. The use of an intrauterine device with levonorgestrel did not show the risk. Given the extensive and ongoing reliance of millions of young women on these drugs, ensuring their safety remains a critical responsibility of the medical community. As well as medical doctors informing young women of potential harm based on the latest scientific literature by informed consent. Over the past 4 years, girls and young women have been exposed to repeated HPV vaccinations and Covid-19 mRNA vaccines within a short period of time, for both of which side effects in women have been reported to be more frequent and severe. Possible interactions and/or interference with these vaccines and long-term effects on the immune system and microbiome have not been investigated beforehand. Neither was knowledge available when it started in 2021 on the possible risks and short- and long-term effects when four vaccines before 22 weeks of pregnancy were introduced. Nutritious Food Not Affordable for Many The importance of daily consumption, as recommended by the WHO, of 400 grams of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, milk products, and eggs for a healthy life and joyful social and working life is unknown by many young people. For most of them, it has become unaffordable . (Ultra)processed foods are the cheapest satisfying foods with a well-designed composition of low-cost ingredients, sugar, fat, and salt that change the microbiome. Home, school, commercials, social media, influencers, mobile phones, and retail environments are driving obesity and being overweight in children and adolescents, often concurrent with undernutrition and anemia. A growing body of evidence shows that the billions of microorganisms present in our body are intimately involved in weight gain and loss and immune training and modulation, as well as overall host homeostasis. Around 33% of the population in the Netherlands does not consume fruit and vegetables daily. As of 2024, 7.1% of Dutch children live in poverty, and this number is still growing . More children might be undernourished, which is associated with impaired growth, neurodevelopment, and increased infectious morbidity and mortality. To reverse the problem of malnutrition, the delivery of free meals has recently started at primary schools. Unfortunately, this does not make a difference for the children at secondary schools. While sending funding to developing countries to prevent malnutrition, a similar problem appears in front of our eyes in the Netherlands. The young generation predominantly eats more plant-based foods, as it would improve climate change. Almost 30% of young women prefer to shop for vegetarian food, and 0.7% of the Dutch population is vegan. In addition, the EU introduced novel food products such as insects and worms, lab-grown meat, and Bovaer for cows to reduce methane production, which might affect the human immune system. Almost one in five adolescents vape. Long-term effects are yet unknown. In the Netherlands, vapes with synthetic liquids that taste like cola, vanilla, apricot, etc., have now been forbidden . Although smoking is declining in adults, young women more frequently smoke than boys but drink less alcohol. All internal and external environmental factors may contribute to weakening or strengthening the resilience of the immune system and may therefore influence the period of pregnancy, labor, nursing, and the health of mother and child for future generations. Pregnancy Is Regulated by a Unique Complexity of the Immune System Pregnancy is a unique immunological state. The changes of the immune system in the three stages of pregnancy (very early, mid, and late stage) are meticulously timed. In the very early stage, the immune system adjusts to prevent her body from rejecting the fetus while at the same time still being strong enough to keep out foreign pathogens. In the late stage, the body is preparing for labor, which is driven by an inflammatory response. A full-term pregnancy will follow an immunological clock . Changes in this immune profile could help to predict and possibly prevent preterm labor. Studies show that pathologically-driven inflammation might trigger pre-term birth (before 37 weeks). In the Netherlands, 14.8% of the children born are preterm with 9.7% low birth weight for the duration of the pregnancy (Big2). Interestingly, in the case of a preterm child labor, the inflammatory reaction is more heated as compared to a full-term child labor. Preterm birth is an important indicator of a risk for early death, chronic and infectious diseases, sepsis, stunting, and delayed neurological and brain development. This may manifest throughout one’s lifespan. Very early birth and extreme early birth occur in only 1.5% of the Dutch baby population and are responsible for 50% of the deaths of newborn babies. The number of abortions jumped in two years in 2023 to 39,000, with most by women aged 25-34 years of age. Abortion in the Netherlands is allowed until 24 weeks of pregnancy. The number of childbirths has declined dramatically to 167,504 in 2022. That is 1.49 children per woman, with a mean age of 30.3 years. The number of women breast-feeding is also decreasing. At 6 months, women feeding breast milk lowered from 60% to hardly 30% of the young mothers. Each year, around 661 babies in the Netherlands die. Mothers dying within 42 days after labor are around 11 persons a year with an additional 5 women dying by suicide each year, and not counting women who died from cancer. Over the past years, mothers’ deaths have been increasing worldwide, with the leading cause being heart diseases and blood clots. Pregnant women with stress , depression , or anxiety , as well as obese women with gut inflammation and chronic disease, have altered immune systems and, as a consequence of malnutrition, have an altered microbiome. A weakened immune system suggests an increased risk for preeclampsia, high blood pressure, HELLP syndrome, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, and/or low birth weight. ‘Gut Feeling’ a Turmoil for Healthy Future Generations The gut presents 70-80% of the immune cells in the human body. In the mucosal layer of the intestine, neuronal cells, endocrine cells, and immune cells cooperate to manage its metabolism and bodily functioning. Recent studies in mice showed villi of the mucosal layer expanding twice its volume during pregnancy and breastfeeding, slowing food passage, improving digestion for an optimal use of available nutrition. The intestinal mucosal layer is strongly connected to various stages of pregnancy with altered gut microbiota, metabolites, and cytokines. These bioactive metabolites modulate and change the ‘innate’ and ‘adaptive’ immune system. Together, the microbial composition and the mucosal layer of the intestine determine long-term health. Mothers’ intestines influence the biodiversity of the microbiome and the resilience of the immune system, which is transmitted to the baby during pregnancy, labor, and nursing. Earlier periods in life facing hunger, extreme stress, or severe diseases may influence health during pregnancy and may transmit to the baby throughout one’s lifespan and even with intergenerational effects. Specific nutrients may have positive effects during pregnancy, labor, and nursing. Sufficient vitamin D , present in sunlight, nutrition (fish, milk products), or supplements, is a prerequisite during this precious time in life for both mother and child. For young women who wish to become pregnant, it is important to learn how to balance the immune system and the microbiome. The immune system of young women could be the most important regulator of the healthiest generations and a population’s workability and income. Author: dr. Carla Peeters First published at Brownstone Institute

The Alarming Increase in Female Healthcare Worker Suicide

By Carla Peeters • March 13, 2025
The increasing number of suicides and fatal overdoses of women healthcare workers has accompanied rising sickness, disability, and women leaving the sector. The total social and economic costs of a workforce in despair are yet unknown. A shortfall of 10 million healthcare workforce (of whom 80-90% is female) is projected by the WHO for 2030 and is of critical concern. When the health of those who look out for people’s health is at risk, the whole population and economy are at risk. This is an emergency of unprecedented scale that needs attention at the highest Public Health level. Humanity and nutrition instead of medicalization as a coping strategy urgently needs to return in the healthcare sector. Alarming Warnings by Healthcare Workers in Despair Recent studies noticed death by suicide and the risk for fatal drug overdose among women in healthcare is much higher as compared with the general population (1-10). It is not only female physicians, but the risk is even higher for nurses and other healthcare workers, especially for those with the lowest-paid jobs and heaviest mental and physical workload who have been most stretched to the limits (7). Worldwide over the last several years thousands of healthcare workers have died by suicide or fatal overdose leaving family, friends, and the workplace in shock and grief. Suicide and self-harm have substantial social and economic costs (12). One death by suicide was calculated in the UK to cost the economy an average of 1.46 million pounds (13). In 2022 more than 360 nurses attempted suicide, and 72 medical professionals took their own lives in 2020 in the UK as data from the Office of National Statistics indicate. Analysis of mortality data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2007 to 2018 identified 2,374 suicides among nurses, 857 among doctors, and 156,141 in the general population. However, the number of death by suicide or fatal overdose is grossly underreported. The WHO reports that over 50% of suicides happen under the age of 50 years (14). To address this avoidable burden, a better understanding of effective and non-effective strategies is paramount. Even before the Covid pandemic started women in healthcare reported substantial workplace stressors (9-11, 15-16). The past four years have put additional strain on women’s health. This is especially true for those women working as front-liners and first responders in highly demanding stressful situations. Increased complexity of care, understaffing, long working hours, additional bureaucratic tasks, moral injury, diminished autonomy, lack of decision-making ability, and low-paid jobs take a burden on their health. Moreover, women routinely face tougher challenges at work and at home such as institutionalized barriers to career advancement as well as additional pressure for domestic labor by frequently being a caregiver for children and/or parents (9). In all parts of the world healthcare workers are at high risk for violence with 8-38% suffering some sort of violence form in their careers. In 2023 for the first time in history, 75,000 healthcare workers in the US went on strike (17). Women are more frequently diagnosed with burnout, major depression, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, ME/CFS, and Long Covid. Long Covid is more prevalent in healthcare workers (11,18-20). These diagnoses of chronic illnesses have many symptoms in common that are known to exacerbate the risk for suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and suicidal completion beyond occupation and established risk factors such as socioeconomic status and education (7-8,20-24). An Epidemic of Emotional Trauma and Distress Healthcare workers are trying to hide their symptoms by pushing themselves to work despite extreme pain, fatigue, memory inconsistency, exhaustion, and grief of not being able to deliver the quality of care patients need. Being overstressed and with long-term understaffing, healthcare workers hardly take time to eat a nutritious meal. Many have become undernourished, and sleep-deprived. Potential disparities in help-seeking and healthcare access might manifest in non-medical use of prescription drugs among some healthcare workers, which has implications for workers’ safety and well-being (25). Many of the medicines used by healthcare workers might be unprescribed and unnoticed (1-8, 23). Toxic Cocktails: A Danger for Women’s Health Suicides among the healthcare workforce often take place at work. The most frequently used method of suicide is overdose or poisoning (1-8). New studies suggest that most overdoses are caused by psychiatric drugs and multiple medications in their system. Co-administration of antidepressants and opioids deliberate or unplanned is common. Women are more likely to be prescribed and take medication like antidepressants and birth control pills and seem to be more sensitive and experience drug side effects than men. Pharmacokinetic interactions may increase the concentrations and severity of side effects of antidepressants (27-28). Studies demonstrate potential side effects of psychiatric drugs and opioids as insomnia, burnout, fatigue, anxiety, pain, and suicidal thoughts (21-25). The risk of opioid-involved overdose death was nearly twice as high experienced by healthcare support workers such as nursing home workers and home health aides as compared to other healthcare workers in the sector (7). The interaction and side effects of the use of multiple medicines and concentrations are mostly unknown. This is especially true for women as most drugs have been poorly studied in women. Some medicine might even have more disastrous side effects than any benefit as seems to be the case for psychotropic medicine (26). Moreover, interactions of psychotropic drugs with immunosuppressive capabilities and Covid-19 mRNA vaccines have been reported (17). Furthermore, pandemic measures that have been mandated for healthcare workers including long-term wearing of medical facemasks (with potential inhalation of toxins) and repeated Covid-19 vaccinations with women reporting more side effects than men (30-31) might have exacerbated potential risks. Recent publications repeatedly reported a global burden of absenteeism related to Covid-19 vaccine side effects which could negatively impact the strained healthcare system and jeopardize patient care (32-33). Medicalization as a Coping Strategy During the pandemic, prescription of antidepressants and use of other over-the-counter medication like acetaminophen (paracetamol) which is often advised to temper vaccine side effects, has grown substantially. Although harmless in low doses, acetaminophen has direct hepatotoxic effects when taken in overdose or a wrong combination and may cause acute liver failure. Accidental or unintentional overdose usually occurs in patients who have been fasting, or are critically ill with a concurrent illness, alcoholism, malnutrition, or have preexisting chronic liver disease (34). Acetominophen (single or combination products) is one of the most used medications in the United States with 25 billion tablets sold in 2016. It is expected that treatment of trauma ailments and increase in chronic illness will fuel the market sales from $9.8 billion in 2022 to $15.2 billion in 2033. However, after a report showed 8,700 poisonings with high rates of hospitalization and liver injury in 2019-2020 with a sharp rise among females, the Australian medicine regulator is considering restrictions on who can buy paracetamol (35). In Sweden, the sale of acetaminophen in supermarkets was banned in 2015 after they experienced an overdose hike. Increased use of over-the-counter and controlled drugs may fuel a rise in acute liver failure. Awareness of potential unintentional irreversible harm is highly needed among healthcare workers and the public, as many new drugs and vaccines have been introduced since the pandemic. Drug Theft and Diversion Job stress and occupational burnout have been associated with increased risk for opioid use disorder which in turn can increase risk for overdose. Those who prescribe or administer medication have ready access to opioids and other controlled prescription drugs. Drug theft and diversion of controlled drugs in hospitals and nursing homes appear to have accelerated worldwide, bringing healthcare workers and patients at risk (36-38). Taking prescription medicine at work, almost 100 healthcare workers have been fired in The Netherlands. Moreover, the problems with understaffing in the Dutch healthcare sector have introduced the use of falsified certificates with people from illegal drug networks entering healthcare organizations pushing the system to more errors and deficits (39). Increasing stress at work and too many night shifts in a row have contributed to a 70% increase in medicine thefts. Almost 50% of calming and sleeping pills were not delivered to patients putting them at risk for suboptimal treatment or contaminations and errors (40). Drug use may gradually become an attractive and convenient coping mechanism. Although professionals often think knowledge of the medicine may control their use, dependence may slowly develop. Many impaired healthcare workers feel guilt and despair and suffer from physical and mental problems and may be indifferent to the risk of overdose (38) A Return to Humanity in Healthcare The problem of the rise in sudden (un)intended death of healthcare workers comes against the background of increasing long-term sick leaves, permanent disabilities, and hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers leaving the sector, choosing for less stressful and better-paid jobs. This is an unprecedented sign by dedicated women for no longer willing to work in a toxic and overstressed environment with underpaid complex tasks for often severely ill patients. The healthcare system is facing increased clinical error rates and liability exposures while adversely impacting patient satisfaction and organizational reputation. This may develop into a catastrophe when Public Health Officials do not take responsibility for a highly needed change ensuring that the workforce has the tools and resources needed to turn the wheel. Hard times may turn positive when CEOs and insurance companies start to embrace the idea that quality of care and reputation starts with a healthy, fair-paid workforce, gender equity, and a working environment choosing for humanity and good nutrition. A vital well-nourished empowered healthcare workforce that is occupied to guide people to health and work will be a win for all.
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