The Presidium of the Supreme Medical Council has expressed strong opposition to the draft regulation of the Council of Ministers on the Polish Classification of Goods and Services (PKWiU), which provides for the introduction into the classification of, among other things, "services in traditional, complementary and alternative medicine." The medical association stresses that such measures could lead to the legitimization of dangerous and pseudo-scientific practices.
PNRL: New regulation threatens patients' lives and health
Published July 11, 2025 10:37
nil
- The medical self-government has been fighting for many years against pseudo-medicine, against all kinds of charlatans who prey on sick people. It is a pity that those in power once again believed in some magical knowledge unavailable to the medical world. This will bring very negative consequences in the future, it endangers the health and lives of patients ," comments Pawel Barucha, vice president of the Supreme Medical Council and chairman of the Dental Committee.
In its official position dated July 10, 2025. The Presidium of the NRL assesses that the inclusion of so-called alternative medicine services in the Annex to the Regulation (Section R, items 86.96-86.96.00.0) is unacceptable. This type of activity is not supported by scientific evidence and, as the self-government reminds us, according to the planned legislative changes (bill UD207), is to be banned if it is attributed to the characteristics of health services without support in medicine.
"The inclusion of these items in the classification may be perceived as legitimizing dangerous practices that are not only ineffective, but may lead to delays or abandonment of treatment in accordance with current medical knowledge. The very use of the word 'medicine' in this context is misleading," the NRL Bureau points out.
Objections also apply to the naming of the dental profession
The position also highlights the incorrect and outdated naming of the dental profession in the draft classification. The local government reminds that since May 1, 2004, the only correct name for this profession - according to the current law - is "dentist." Meanwhile, the draft includes terms such as "dental practice" and "medical doctor," which are not supported by the current state of the law.
The Bureau is calling for the correction of the following items, among others:
- 86.2: instead of "Medical and dental practice services" it should read "Medical and dental practice services."
- 86.23 i 86.23.0: "Dental practice services" should be replaced by "Dental practice services";
- 86.10.05 and 86.10.05.0: instead of "medical doctors," simply "doctors" should be used.
"Omitting the word 'doctor' from the name of the profession can lead to terminological confusion and even be perceived as a deprecation of the dental profession," representatives of the local government point out.
Source: NIL
