Professor Schelto Kruijff Warns of Health Decline to Middle Ages Levels

Schelto Kruijff, a surgical oncologist and professor at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), has challenged the prevailing belief that modern hospitals are the primary drivers of increased human longevity, arguing instead that these institutions can contribute to overall unhealthiness.

In his book Hoe gezond is het ziekenhuis eigenlijk (How healthy is the hospital actually), published on April 23, 2026, Kruijff examines the fundamental role of medicine and questions whether the current healthcare model truly makes society healthier.

The Misconception of Medical Longevity

Kruijff suggests that there is a persistent misconception regarding why people are living longer. He notes that while many attribute increased life expectancy to the advancements in medical care, basic public health improvements have played a more significant role.

According to Kruijff, factors such as clean drinking water, clean streets, and clean air contribute far more to general health than the interventions provided by hospitals.

Environmental Impact and Global Health

A central part of Kruijff’s critique focuses on the ecological footprint of healthcare facilities. He expresses significant doubt about whether hospitals are making humanity healthier on a global scale due to their environmental impact.

Kruijff points to the massive production of waste and the carbon footprint of the healthcare sector, stating that hospital CO2 emissions are greater than those of the aviation sector.

He argues that this contribution to climate change creates a feedback loop that negatively affects human health through increased heatwaves, flooding, crop failures, and the spread of tropical infectious diseases.

Treatment Versus Prevention

The professor also highlights a tension between treating individual patients and improving the health of the general population. While acknowledging that hospitals provide life-altering benefits to individuals—such as kidney transplants that eliminate the need for dialysis—he questions if these interventions reduce the overall burden of disease.

Using kidney failure as an example, Kruijff observes that the number of people suffering from the condition continues to rise. He attributes this partly to systemic issues, such as the availability of food containing excessive salt, which damages the kidneys.

Kruijff posits that the existence of advanced medical treatments may create a paradoxical effect, where the availability of a cure makes people less cautious about maintaining their health.

If there was no treatment, people would be more careful with their kidneys.

Schelto Kruijff

Professional Background

Schelto Kruijff is a professor of surgery affiliated with both the University Medical Center Groningen and the University of Groningen. His clinical expertise includes the surgical treatment of endocrine tumors, such as those in the thyroid and adrenal glands.

Beyond his clinical work in surgical oncology, Kruijff’s research interests include the use of fluorescence-guided surgery and sustainability within the healthcare sector.

He earned his PhD from the University of Groningen in 2011, focusing on biomarkers in melanoma, and has held fellowships in endocrine surgery at the University of Sydney and in hepatobiliary surgery in the Netherlands.