[Legal regulation of special medical procedures]

Physicians in The Netherlands largely determine amongst themselves how they treat patients, whereas statutory regulations mostly concern indirect matters, such as qualifications of the treating persons, quality of care and patients' rights. Special items of service are currently reserved for special institutions. When the new Special Medical Services Act is passed, the minister is empowered to prohibit items of service if he/she considers these undesirable for social, ethical or legal reasons. More discussion is needed before such sensitive matters are to be regulated by law.