The Medical Code of Ethics (Polish: Kodeks Etyki Lekarskiej, or KEL) was adopted by the 2nd Special Convention of Doctors on 14 December 1991, and has been binding since then, with several amendments. From the very beginning, it proved controversial, especially with regard to its legal status. As a result, two opposite concepts have developed. One of them considers the Code as a set of rules of ethical and deontological nature, while the other assumes the Code to be an element of the legal system. In her article, the author presents the two concepts, and she refers to the opinions of the Constitutional Tribunal, the Ombudsman and the Supreme Court on the matter. She emphasises that controversial issues should be seen from the angle of the provisions of the Polish Constitution, namely the system of legal sources it comprises. She also stresses that, since the Constitution lacks a clear mandate for unions to adopt legal acts, and because of the impact of the Code that exceeds the profession, it cannot be considered a self-contained normative act.
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