Poland's Sejm passes 'lex szarlatan' to combat pseudomedicine with fines up to 1 million złoty
The Polish Sejm voted 232-34, with 162 abstentions, to pass the 'lex szarlatan' bill, granting the Patient Ombudsman new powers to issue public warnings, impose fines up to 1 million złoty, and intervene in civil cases against pseudomedical practices.
Vote breakdown
The lower house of Poland's parliament passed the amendment to the Patient Rights Act on Friday, with 232 votes in favour, 34 against, and 162 abstentions. The ruling coalition parties (Civic Coalition, Left, Polish People's Party, Centre, and Poland 2050) backed the bill, along with the Razem parliamentary circle. Konfederacja and Konfederacja Korony Polskiej voted against it. Law and Justice (PiS) largely abstained (160 deputies), with seven voting against and 19 absent.
Current legal regulations do not allow the Patient Ombudsman institution to deal with fraudsters and quacks.
New powers for the Patient Ombudsman
The law, drafted by the health ministry together with the Patient Ombudsman, equips the ombudsman with tools to act against services that contradict current medical knowledge. The ombudsman will be able to issue public warnings when a party engages in practices that may endanger patients, and to impose temporary decisions ordering an immediate halt to specific actions before proceedings conclude. The ombudsman also gains the right to demand the initiation of, and participate in, civil proceedings concerning patient rights, with the same standing as a public prosecutor.
The legislation also addresses herbal medicine, aiming to separate safe, centuries-old phytotherapy that supports conventional treatment from dangerous quackery. Once the law takes effect, no entity will be allowed to provide health services without an official entry in the Register of Entities Performing Medical Activity.
Fines and enforcement
The health ministry and the Patient Ombudsman have set substantial financial penalties. Violations of collective patient rights can trigger fines of up to 1 million złoty, while failure to cooperate with the ombudsman carries a penalty of up to 100,000 złoty. Sanctions can be imposed even if an entity closes its operations just before a decision is issued.
Debate and amendments
During the second reading on Thursday, Konfederacja moved to reject the bill. Several deputies proposed amendments. Marcelina Zawisza (Razem) argued the project was too narrow, limited to pseudomedical services, and should also cover the trade in preparations and devices sold to sick people as false hope. Jarosław Sachajko (Demokracja Bezpośrednia) sought to exclude osteopathy, acupuncture, naturopathy, and traditional Chinese medicine from the catalogue of pseudomedical services when the practitioner has documented qualifications and does not mislead patients.
A mechanic with a middle-school education, described by journalist Michał Janczura, posed as a gynaecologist and punctured women's uteruses. Some of them died.
The project is a response to treating cancer with methods of unproven effectiveness, abandoning treatment in favour of meditation, or treating illnesses with bioresonance.
Opponents warned that the definition of pseudomedicine is too broad and could harm legitimate complementary medicine, health coaching, and natural therapies. They argued it limits patient freedom of choice and threatens alternative practices such as homeopathy, naturopathy, bioenergy therapy, and some forms of acupuncture performed outside medical professions.
What's next
The bill now moves to the Senate. If passed, it will go to President Karol Nawrocki for signature.
