In recent years, there has been a growing interest in unconventional treatments that contradict established medical knowledge. Some patients turn to such methods instead of standard therapies, often undermining their chances of recovery. Behind many of these choices are unscrupulous businesses and individuals who exploit vulnerable people for profit. This fall, lawmakers are expected to resume work on the so-called “lex charlatan” law, which aims to introduce mechanisms to combat pseudomedicine more effectively.
The Rise of Alternative “Cancer Cures”
The popularity of so-called alternative cancer treatments has created opportunities for self-styled healers who exploit patients’ desperation with unproven therapies, often making significant profits.
“I meet many oncology patients who, at some stage, put their trust in medical charlatans. These are fraudsters with no education, no nursing practice, no hospital experience. They have no idea what they’re talking about. By trusting them, patients not only interrupt their cancer treatment but also use undefined substances. Later, they return to clinics devastated, but the time they lost cannot be regained,” said Dr. Leszek Borkowski, clinical pharmacologist at the Hospital of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Wołomin.
According to a survey by the Lower Silesian Oncology Center (2017–2019) of 355 cancer patients, nearly 44% admitted to using unconventional treatments. That rate is similar to the UK and US, where about half of cancer patients report the same. In the US, spending on alternative medicine exceeds that on standard therapies. Contributing factors include the limitations of conventional methods, which can be lengthy, carry side effects, and do not always deliver results.
Patients reported using herbal remedies, flax seeds, apricot kernels, intravenous vitamin C, megadoses of vitamins, and even holy water. Only 40% told their doctors about these treatments, despite potential health risks. While many used them as a complement, a significant group abandoned conventional therapies entirely. Only 30% said they would stop using alternatives if pressed by a physician.
Exploitation and Tragedy
The dangers are illustrated by the case of 25-year-old Oskar D., who, despite having only a middle-school education, posed as a doctor and sold online consultations. In two years, he amassed PLN 4 million. In one instance, he recommended a cancer patient take a chemical solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide) and persuaded her to abandon a biopsy and conventional treatment. She later died.
“Charlatans run highly sophisticated marketing campaigns for their illegal activities. Their messaging is persuasive, and desperate patients, unprepared to assess false claims, believe them. I don’t blame patients, but I do blame the authorities responsible for health protection in Poland. Successive governments have turned a blind eye to cracking down on these medical fraudsters,” Dr. Borkowski said.
The Planned “Lex Charlatan” Law
The upcoming amendment to the Patient Rights Act and the Emergency Notification System Act would empower the Patient Ombudsman to investigate:
- health practices by individuals without medical qualifications,
- use or promotion of falsely advertised “treatments” that harm patients or replace evidence-based care,
- unauthorized medical activities outside the official register,
- medical disinformation if linked to profit and public dissemination.
The Ombudsman would also gain the power to impose fines immediately upon confirming violations, including pseudomedical practices (currently possible only if offenders fail to comply after a decision). Upper limits on penalties would also rise. Lawmakers estimate several thousand entities in Poland could be affected by the law’s provisions.
An Overdue Reform
Experts argue the issue should have been addressed years ago.
“The matter is simple. I expect every Minister of Health, together with the Minister of Internal Affairs and perhaps others, including Finance, to scrutinize the legality of people falsifying medical data and giving patients substances that are not medicines,” said Dr. Borkowski.
The law, now under public consultation, is expected to resume its legislative path in autumn. Its aim: protect patients from pseudomedicine and hold perpetrators accountable.
