Jerzy Zięba Visits Presidential Chancellery Over Controversial “Lex Quack” Bill

Prominent promoter of unverified medical therapies Jerzy Zięba has met with officials at the Polish Presidential Chancellery to hand over a petition against the newly passed legislation targeting pseudomedicine.

The “Lex Quack” Bill Awaits Presidential Decision

The “lex quack” bill passed by parliament has been sitting on the desk of President Karol Nawrocki for several days, awaiting a decision on whether he will sign it or issue a veto. The Prime Minister’s Office previously announced that the new regulations aim to more effectively combat the offering of unverified medical methods, individuals posing as medical specialists, and companies exploiting patient ignorance to sell therapies of unconfirmed effectiveness.

Government Spokesperson Adam Szłapka explained in May that the legislation targets situations where individuals without medical training offer purported disease therapies lacking scientific backing or discourage patients from diagnostic procedures and treatments aligned with current medical knowledge.

Jerzy Zięba Submits Petition at the Chancellery

Approximately 25,000 people signed a petition against the bill. Last Thursday, Jerzy Zięba, an entrepreneur and graduate of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, was one of the individuals who delivered the petition to the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland.

Zięba has spent years promoting online therapies whose effectiveness is not backed by reliable scientific research. In 2024, the Ministry of Health, the Patient Ombudsman, and oncological patient organizations jointly concluded that neither the methods nor the recommendations promoted by Zięba are based on evidence-based medicine.

Details of the Chancellery Meeting

Jerzy Zięba stated on social media that the meeting was led by Minister Sławomir Mazurek, who was designated by the president to handle the topic. He described the gathering as fantastic, substantive, and calm, noting that seven attendees were allowed to thoroughly explain their points without any rush or hostility.

Shortly after the meeting, the text of the petition was published on the official website of the Presidential Chancellery. The document urges the President of the Republic of Poland to reject the government-prepared and Sejm-passed bill, while calling for the development of an alternative regulatory model focused on patient safety, patient autonomy, legal transparency, certification, quality supervision, and an integrative rather than repressive model.

Official Stance and Lack of Prior Knowledge

Newsweek journalist Jacek Gądek learned the details of the meeting from a presidential official, who confirmed that the group arrived with a petition containing tens of thousands of signatures and stated their position.

The official emphasized that the Chancellery does not endorse the individuals submitting petitions or their circles, characterizing the gathering as purely courteous. According to Newsweek’s findings, President Karol Nawrocki was unaware of the meeting.

The Presidential Chancellery stated that the meeting was strictly related to the submission of a petition, which fulfills citizens’ constitutional right and statutory right to direct petitions to public authorities. The office added that it accepts petitions and submissions from citizens and various social groups regardless of the views they present.