History

The Medical Law Quarterly (formerly Law and Medicine) has been published since mid-2019. It was founded by Maria Boratyńska – a lawyer and Polish philologist affiliated with the University of Warsaw and the Medical University of Warsaw – as the successor to the quarterly Law and Medicine. The earlier journal ceased publication in 2018 following the sudden death of its publisher. Boratyńska, who had been editor-in-chief since 2014 and associated with the journal from its inception, ensured continuity by establishing the Quarterly.

The Medical Law Quarterly preserves the two-decade tradition of its predecessor and retains its editorial mission: to publish original scholarship in medical law, medical ethics, sociology of medicine, and health sciences with a legal dimension. Its focus remains on addressing both theoretical and practical legal and ethical challenges arising in medical practice.

Origins

The history of Law and Medicine/Medical Law Quarterly dates back to 1999 and coincided with the introduction of the new Polish Act on the Professions of Physician and Dentist. Unlike the earlier 1950 statute, the new legislation opened the way for more sophisticated legal analysis and interpretation. The journal was conceived as a forum for discussion of these emerging issues, offering well-grounded legal guidance to medical practitioners and building a bridge between two traditionally separate fields – law and medicine – that had become inseparably linked.

For many years, Law and Medicine was the first and only periodical of its kind in Poland. Today, the Medical Law Quarterly continues to occupy a unique position in the field, with the consistently high quality of its articles securing its status as a leading journal. A distinctive feature of both titles has been situating legal debates within their medical and bioethical context, including the publication of important statements from bodies such as the Bioethics Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Contributions from leading physicians and philosophers alongside legal scholars have given the journal a truly interdisciplinary character.
Founding Figures and Initiatives

The founding editor of Law and Medicine, the late Dr. Paweł Wójcik, was a surgeon whose intellectual interests extended far beyond his profession. In addition to establishing the journal, which quickly became an authoritative voice in the social and health sciences, he initiated the annual National Legal and Medical Forum. Over the years, the conference complemented the journal, serving as a think tank and a source of scholarly inspiration.

Development and Continuity

Since 1999, 70 issues of Law and Medicine and 17 issues of the Medical Law Quarterly have been published (as of December 1, 2024). The journal has built lasting recognition within the medical and legal communities and maintains a loyal readership.

The inaugural editorial of issue 1/1999 captured the vision of the founders:

“We are beginning the publication of the quarterly Law and Medicine. We hope the journal will fill a substantive gap in the Polish academic market, while serving an important educational role within the medical profession. In the current context – with physicians’ growing legal liability and systemic changes in healthcare – there is an urgent need to promote knowledge of both existing and forthcoming medical regulations. The increasing number of patient compensation claims highlights the importance of addressing civil liability and insurance for medical professionals and healthcare institutions. Subsequent issues will include: review papers in medical law, national and international regulations with commentary, monitoring of health insurance reform, analysis of case law, issues of professional liability insurance, and practical legal advice. The editorial board warmly invites physicians and lawyers to collaborate with the quarterly.”

Recent Developments

The associated conference – now titled the National Forum on Medical Law and Medical Ethics – was relaunched in 2023. Both the journal and the conference are once again operating in tandem, on a non-profit basis, under the auspices of the Medical University of Warsaw and the honorary patronage of its Rector. Together, they continue to integrate and consolidate the medico-legal community in Poland.