Government approves bill that bans advertising ‘folk medicine’

The government has supported a resolution on the bill that cancels the issuance of a special permit from the Health Ministry for the practicing of folk medicine (healing) and prohibits its advertisement.

Acting Health Minister Ulana Suprun wrote this on her Facebook page.

"We have developed this bill so that Ukraine, as civilized countries, does not recognize the use of folk medicine, healer decoction, rituals and divination of psychics as methods of diagnosis and prevention of diseases and ways of treating them," she said.

Suprun noted that the patient may be deceived by the presence of a permit issued by the Health Ministry to a person who does not practice evidence-based medicine.

"A person may feel that he or she receives medical help, but there is no guarantee that this visit will be effective or even safe," she wrote.

She also expressed hope that MPs will support this bill.

This bill was published in early January 2018 for public discussion.

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