Nawrocki Decides on “Lex Quackery” While Tusk Strikes Back

President Karol Nawrocki has referred the government’s “lex quackery” bill to the Constitutional Tribunal, prompting sharp criticism from Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Presidential Referral to the Constitutional Tribunal

Nawrocki decided regarding the “lex quackery” legislation by skierowania it to the Constitutional Tribunal in a preventive mode. The president stated that while the goal of the bill is right, the proposed measures lump together real quacks endangering health with hundreds of entities dealing with herbalism, healthy nutrition, and complementary medicine.

New Presidential Bill Proposed

The president’s office announced a separate presidential bill aimed at banning harmful medical practices by introducing a new crime: inciting dangerous health decisions. Penalties would range from up to three years in prison for urging a sick person to abandon medical treatment, up to five years for harmful practices, up to ten years for causing grievous bodily harm, and between 2 and 15 years if the patient dies.

Government and Medical Community Criticism

The government’s initial law aimed to ban pseudomedical practices that risk bodily injury or death by non-medical professionals, drawing strong support from the Ministry of Health and doctors who stressed the need to prosecute unqualified individuals offering therapeutic services. Prime Minister Donald Tusk slammed the decision on platform X, stating that the president stood on the side of quacks rather than patients.