[The Medical Code of Practice: clear reasons for existing, benefit less certain]

The Medical Code of Practice (Dutch acronym TG) aims to maintain and advance the quality of professional practice. Working together, lawyers and medical practitioners consider and make judgements on the procedures and methods practiced by caregivers. They also aim to protect citizens against the inexpert and careless execution of medical practice. Are they successful in this? Where the quality of practice is concerned, more thought must be given to the lasting effects on medical practitioners of the decisions made by the TG. Where protection ofcitizens is concerned, patients have a legal right to complain and there are various ways of doing this. Moreover, the TG is not primarily meant as a right of complaint. More empirical research is necessary into the effects of the TG.