Ernst Kuipers

Ernst Johan Kuipers (; born 14 December 1959) is a Dutch gastroenterologist, professor and politician who served as Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport in the fourth Rutte cabinet from 2022 until 2024. He is a member of the Democrats 66 (D66) party. His father was a general practitioner and his mother a pharmacist. After obtaining a propaedeutic diploma (propedeuse) in chemistry, he studied medicine at the University of Groningen.

In 2000, Kuipers was appointed professor and head of gastroenterology and hepatology at the Erasmus University Medical Center (EMC).

Kuipers became a member of the board of directors of the Erasmus University Medical Center in 2012, and he was appointed chief executive officer on 15 March 2013. In addition to his role at the EMC, Kuipers started serving as chairman of the National Acute Care Network (LNAZ) in 2015.

Minister of Health, 2022–2024 On 10 January 2022, Kuipers joined the fourth Rutte cabinet as Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, on behalf of the Democrats 66. Kuipers did not manage to finish centralization plans in acute care amongst opposition from its trade association. He also determined breast cancer patients would not be reimbursed for the novel medicine Trodelvy due to its high costs. He admitted such decisions would become more common in the future. He was succeeded by Minister for Long-term Care and Sport Conny Helder (VVD), while Pia Dijkstra became Minister for Medical Care on behalf of D66.

Life after politics It was announced several weeks later that Kuipers would join Nanyang Technological University in Singapore as Vice President of Research as well as distinguished professor starting 1 May.

In 2025, Kuipers was appointed to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe’s Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH), chaired by Katrín Jakobsdóttir.

Electoral history

+ YearBodyPartyVotesResult.Party seatsIndividual 2023 House of Representatives Democrats 66 74 682 9