ziektevrij

Ziektvrij is a Dutch term describing a state in which a person is free from disease. It denotes the absence of signs or symptoms of illness, or the lack of detectable disease after treatment, but it does not imply an absolute guarantee of health.

In medical contexts, the word is most commonly used in oncology to characterize patients who have achieved disease-free status following treatment. Such a status usually relies on evidence from clinical examinations, imaging, and laboratory tests showing no detectable disease, often after a defined disease-free interval. However, exact criteria for what constitutes ziektevrij vary by disease, treatment protocol, and institution, and the term remains somewhat imperfect and context-dependent.

The term is inherently relative. It reflects current test results and the specific disease’s biology, not a guaranteed cure. Relapse remains possible even when someone is described as ziektevrij, particularly if the disease can be difficult to detect or may recur after a period of apparent remission. Sensitivity of diagnostic methods and the biology of the illness influence the reliability of the designation.

Ziektvrij can also appear in public health discussions to indicate regions or populations deemed free of a particular infectious disease, typically after successful eradication campaigns or high vaccination coverage. In everyday medical communication, some clinicians prefer more precise terms such as remission, undetectable disease, or cure depending on the scenario.

See also: remission, cure, disease-free survival, health.