Various Gelderland States parties are concerned about the feasibility of the VGO-III study into the health risks associated with goat farms. This became clear on Wednesday during a round table discussion about the goat stop that was introduced in Gelderland in 2017.
–
Several parties had asked for the session due to the years of delay incurred by the Livestock and Health and Residents (VGO-III) study. This results in an extended goat stop.
The research must clarify why more pneumonia occurs in the vicinity of goat farms. This year and last year, presumably due to corona, significantly fewer patients with pneumonia reported to their GP than in the previous years.
Hardly any pneumonia
This slows down the data collection, said Joke van der Giessen of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment during the round table discussion. ‘There are practically no pneumonia patients among the GPs we work with in this study. We have now only included nineteen patients. We need 800 to be able to say anything about a possible connection. That is very unpleasant. Due to the low number of pneumonia, we are often asked whether these can come from goats at all. ‘
Henk van Roekel of the LTO North Dairy Goat Farming department called during the conversation to relax the goat stop. ‘To help companies that are stuck with their fingers in the door because of the plug. Customization should be applied for them. At the same time, we hope for rapid results from the study. So that we can either take measures or the restrictions are lifted completely. The sector has been locked up for four years now, which is an unhealthy situation. ‘
‘Do not investigate indefinitely’
Member of Parliament Rosmarijn Boender (VVD) considers it almost impossible to find the desired eight hundred patients. ‘Such an investigation cannot last indefinitely, then we are waiting for a problem.’ Member of Parliament Bea Schouten (CDA) calls it ‘very strange’ that there are no pneumonia now. ‘And that has been the case for a long time. Are we still doing the right thing with this research? ‘ Member of Parliament Karin Jeurink (PvdA) wonders whether the goat stop is still tenable. “Can we still justify that measure?”
Stopping the investigation is not an option, according to Van der Giessen. She expects an increase in the number of pneumonia from autumn 2021, which will also make the necessary data available. The study will not be completed until 2024. The Gelderland States will talk about the goat stop again next week.
– .
