Ukrainian government approves draft law abolishing special permits for traditional medicine practice

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved Resolution on the Health Ministry’s draft Law On Amendments to Some Laws of Ukraine. The draft Law excludes Article 74.1 from the Fundamentals of the Legislation of Ukraine on Health Care. This Article regulates the procedure of issuance and revocation of a special permit to practice traditional medicine (healing), including the issuance of an expert conclusion on person’s healing ability by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The above-mentioned amendments will enter into force once the Parliament approves the draft Law.

Folk medicine will no longer be identified as methods of disease prevention, diagnosis or treatment, and healing will no longer be recognized as a type of medical care that can help prevent illness or cure.

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine will not regulate the work of healers practicing traditional (folk) or alternative medicine, because the Ministry cannot guarantee the professionalism of a person who doesn’t have a specialized medical training degree. Only qualified health professionals with the appropriate blend of knowledge and skills (i.e. educational and professional background) can practice the evidence-based medicine.

The draft Law also bans advertising of traditional (folk) medicine.

However, the draft Law does not prohibit the practice of traditional medicine as such. The traditional medicine practitioners and healers will be able to continue their activities, but their practice will be separated from the evidence-based medicine at the official level to make patients aware that they cannot receive quality healthcare when seeking help from traditional healers.

The Ministry hopes that MPs will introduce the draft Law to the Ukrainian Parliament in the near future.