Els Borst

Dutch scientist, professor of medicine, D66 politician, Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport and honorary Minister of State.

Els Borst grew up in Amsterdam. Her father was as an adjunct director of a mattress factory, her mother was housewife. She was their only child. During wartime (1940-1945) she experienced how her Jewish school friends disappeared. She had no idea what happened to them. On 12 March 1945 she was forced as a child to watch the execution of 30 prisoners at the Weteringplantsoen. Passengers (including children) were forced to watch this act of German terror. She was shocked, decided to become a pediatrician and to work for a better and more humane world.

Medical career

After finishing the Barlaeus Gymnasium (1950), she studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam (1950-1958). After becoming a physician (29 October 1958, A'dam) she worked as a resident at the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis hospital specializing in pediatrics (1956-1960) and immunohaematology (1960-1965). From 1965 till 1969 she worked as a scientist at Utrecht University studying immunohaematology. This resulted in a dissertation "Rhesusimmunisatie, ontstaan en preventie" (Rhesus immunisation, development and prevention) at the University of Amsterdam on 16 March 1972.

In 1969 she became head of the Blood Service of the Academic Hospital of Utrecht (UMC) and in 1976 she became medical director of the UMC (1976-1985). She left the UMC to become vice-chair of the Health Council (1 Jan 1986 - 22 Aug 1994), an advisory board of the government. On 30 June 1992 she was elected as a professor at the University of Amsterdam with the mission "Evaluatie-onderzoek van het klinisch handelen" which deals with evidence based medicine. Her oration was held on 1 July 1992: Geneeskunde op recept? (Medicine on receipt?). She left this post on 22 August 1994 when she became Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport.