RIVM

Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM) is the Dutch national institute for public health and the environment. It is a government agency under the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and is based in Bilthoven. RIVM carries out scientific research, risk assessment, and policy support to prevent disease, protect environmental quality, and promote safe living conditions. Its work encompasses public health surveillance, infectious disease monitoring, vaccine safety, toxicology, nutrition and lifestyle, environmental health, and occupational health. The institute also manages laboratory services, data collection and analysis, and the development of guidelines, advisories, and risk communications for policymakers and the public.

RIVM collaborates with national and international partners, including EU agencies, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and the World Health Organization. It provides evidence-based input for health and environmental policy, crisis management, and preparedness planning, and it supports Dutch authorities during health emergencies through surveillance, modeling, risk assessment, and response guidance. The organization operates multiple research facilities and maintains data systems for monitoring trends and risks.

The institute is governed as a public-health and environmental research body funded by the government. Its mandate is to deliver independent, high-quality science and services that protect public health and the environment and to translate scientific findings into practical policy and public information.