Government combats medical disinformation: new powers for the Patient Ombudsman
The Polish government has adopted a draft of new regulations aimed at curbing the phenomenon of so-called pseudomedicine. The legal changes are intended to increase citizen safety by combating dangerous health advice and false therapies that frequently appear in the public sphere.
The most important element of the new regulations is granting broader powers to the Patient Ombudsman. Thanks to the new provisions, this office will be able to respond more effectively to cases of medical disinformation being spread. The Ombudsman will gain tools that will allow for the faster identification and elimination of harmful content promoting unverified treatment methods.
The problem of pseudomedicine has been a source of concern for doctors and public health experts for years. It often happens that patients, instead of using evidence-based medicine, choose dangerous alternatives, which can lead to serious consequences for their health and even their lives.
The new law is intended to be a response to the growing number of scams on the internet and in the medical services market. The government emphasizes that the goal of the changes is to protect patients from the dishonest practices of individuals who lack appropriate medical qualifications but offer miracle cures for diseases.
The draft will now go to further legislative work in parliament. If the regulations come into force, the Patient Ombudsman will become a key body in the fight for reliable medical knowledge in Poland, which is intended to provide patients with a greater sense of security when seeking healthcare.