DON’T MISS
IamExpat FairIamExpat Job BoardIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Lifestyle
Dutch news & articles
Free liver test in Amsterdam sees people queuing up for hours
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Free liver test in Amsterdam sees people queuing up for hours

By Simone Jacobs
May 9, 2025

To create awareness about liver health problems, free liver tests are being offered to Dutch residents at the RAI in Amsterdam. The arrangement is part of the congress of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and has received a lot of interest, with people queuing up for hours to get the free test.

Free test for liver health offered in Amsterdam until May 10

Since Monday, the free liver tests have been on offer. Anyone in the Netherlands aged 18 years or older can walk in without an appointment to find out how their liver is doing. 

The test is painless and uses a Fibroscan that measures stiffness and fatty deposits in the liver, which indicates if the liver is damaged. In all, the scan takes 10 minutes, and the doctors give the results immediately. The free liver tests are done at three testing stations at the RAI in Amsterdam, available from 9am until 4pm every day and until 2pm on Saturday. May 10 is the final day the tests will be possible for free, reports NOS.

Hundreds of people have shown up to get their livers tested this week, with many waiting for hours. "I've been standing here for more than three hours now," one visitor told AT5. "But yes, it's worth it. My liver has had quite a bit to endure. So I want to know how it is doing now. And it's free."

Sharp increase in liver cancer among Dutch residents

Amsterdam UMC gastroenterologist Bart Takkenburg believes that it is very important that people take advantage of the free test. "Early detection can prevent many health problems, especially because liver diseases are often only discovered at a late stage," Takkenburg told AT5. 

"About 400.000 people are at risk of serious liver damage or liver cancer," said Takkenberg. "The main causes are lifestyle-related: too much alcohol, [being] overweight and an unhealthy diet. We are seeing a sharp increase in liver cancer, in particular due to a fatty liver: ten years ago I saw one patient a week with liver cancer, now it is sometimes four."

According to Takkenburg, the doctors were able to screen up to 200 people on one day. "In a number of them, the test indicated that there was a case of a hardened liver,” he told NOS. “We ask those people to come back again. If the result is the same, they are given a form with a clear explanation and we ask the GP to refer them to a gastroenterologist in their own area."

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:


Simone Jacobs

Editor at IamExpat Media

Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more

Related Stories

June 2025: 6 things expats in the Netherlands need to knowJune 2025: 6 things expats in the Netherlands need to know
4 flower markets in Amsterdam where you can buy a cheerful bouquet4 flower markets in Amsterdam where you can buy a cheerful bouquet
12 top breweries in Amsterdam12 top breweries in Amsterdam
14 most romantic restaurants in Amsterdam14 most romantic restaurants in Amsterdam
11 best cocktail bars in Amsterdam11 best cocktail bars in Amsterdam
July 2025: 12 things expats in the Netherlands need to knowJuly 2025: 12 things expats in the Netherlands need to know
Surfing in the Dutch capital: Plans submitted for wave pool in AmsterdamSurfing in the Dutch capital: Plans submitted for wave pool in Amsterdam
Trains around Schiphol halted for the day due to power outageTrains around Schiphol halted for the day due to power outage
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat FairsWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.