Supreme Court bans ultrasound without doctor’s referral – Kommersant

The Supreme Court (SC) has finally banned ultrasounds without a referral from a doctor or other healthcare professional. The decision was made on the claim of a woman who was denied an ultrasound scan in a private institution without a referral from a specialist.

The plaintiff insisted that the requirement to obtain a medical referral for an ultrasound scan limited her rights. As the lawsuit clarified, the law also requires the doctor to indicate the location of the procedure, which limits competition in the provision of services.

The Ministry of Health sent written objections to the court, urging that the existing norms be preserved. The Supreme Court agreed with the agency’s position.

“Arguments about the excessive burden on those applying for the provision of paid medical services on the grounds that the contested legal norms do not allow ultrasound without a referral from the attending physician or on the basis of an extract from medical documents are untenable,” the Supreme Court concluded.

Laura Keffer