Updates

During the 30th World Congress on Medical Law, held from 5 to 8 August 2026 at the University of Antwerp, MEDIMIG was strongly represented through presentations by PhD researchers Marta Łotoczuk and Amina Yakhlaf. Marta presented her paper on 'Making Room for Family Involvement in Medical Decision-Making Within European Patient-Rights Law' to an interested audience of congress attendees.

Amina's presentation took place during the opening panel of a new chair on religious and cultural diversity in healthcare. Drawing on insights from MEDIMIG research, she highlighted how religious and cultural perspectives can shape patients' expectations, preferences, and experiences in medical decision-making. Central to this was an important question: how can healthcare providers accommodate diverse perspectives and preferences while safeguarding patient autonomy and voice?

ATV also covered this topic in a news report following the congress and the launch of the new Antwerp Health Law and Ethics Chair. The report brings several questions central to MEDIMIG's work to the attention of a wider audience and contributes to the broader societal conversation on diversity, patient-centred care, and medical decision-making. Watch the (Dutch-spoken) ATV report via this link.

On 25 April, PhD researchers Flore Vermijs, Amina Yakhlaf and Marta Łotoczuk led a workshop at the 'Day of the Young GP' (Dag van de Jonge Huisarts) on diversity in general practice. Using concrete case studies, participants explored how to create space for diversity in their day-to-day work as a GP.

The session sparked lively discussion, with plenty of recognition and critical reflection. And the learning went both ways: the MEDIMIG researchers themselves came away with plenty of new insights too!

We're happy to announce the publication of a new MEDIMIG paper! In this study, we examine the extent to which Belgian general practitioners (GPs) endorse legally impermissible strategies for family involvement in medical decision-making (MDM), and how this relates to their knowledge of the legal framework.

While the involvement of family members and informal caregivers in patient care is receiving growing attention, their role in MDM models remains underdeveloped. Moreover, family involvement in MDM can conflict with patient rights — particularly the patient's right to self-determination.

Using an online vignette survey among Dutch-speaking GPs in Belgium — with vignettes developed through a nominal group technique involving GPs and medical lawyers — results show that between 26.9% and 43.8% of respondents endorsed legally impermissible strategies, while 26.2% to 35.9% demonstrated insufficient knowledge of the relevant legal framework. Greater legal knowledge emerged as the strongest protective factor, yet 10.3% to 20% of respondents still endorsed such strategies despite having sufficient legal knowledge.

These findings suggest a need to reassess the responsiveness and practical applicability of the legal framework to clinical realities.

👉 Read and download the full article here!​

At the World Association for Medical Law conference, MEDIMIG PhD researcher Marta Łotoczuk once again received recognition for her work. Her poster “Communication Barriers in Healthcare: Implications for Patient Safety, Rights and Obligations, and Strategies for Mitigation” was awarded the Young Scientist Award.

Congratulations, Marta! 🎉

This summer, the MEDIMIG team was on the move, sharing our research with international audiences.

PhD researcher Amina Yakhlaf travelled to Rabat to present the findings of our vignette study at a major sociology congress. In Istanbul, PhD researcher Marta Łotoczuk showcased a poster on communication barriers in healthcare and their implications for patient safety and rights. Also PhD-researcher Flore Vermijs had a busy summer: in Lisbon, she presented our findings on medical decision-making to researchers focusing on migration and health, and shortly afterwards she shared these insights in Vienna, this time with professionals and academics from the field of primary health care. 

These exchanges provided valuable opportunities to engage in dialogue with international colleagues and to bring fresh perspectives back into the MEDIMIG project.

Between November 2024 and April 2025, Flore and Marta visited no fewer than 27 LOK groups across Flanders and Brussels as part of their data collection. 

During these sessions, general practitioners were invited to participate in the MEDIMIG GP survey, followed by an interactive training on the Patients’ Rights Act. The training mainly focused on the legal framework surrounding medical decision-making, with particular attention to the impact of the February 2024 reform of the Act. This resulted in a successful data collection process and provided fascinating insights into the daily work of general practitioners. 

A big thank you to all participating LOK groups for their warm welcome!

We’re happy to announce the publication of a new MEDIMIG paper!

In this study, we explore how growing cultural diversity in Belgium shapes medical decision-making (MDM) in primary care. With over one third of the population having a migration background, general practitioners (GPs) increasingly encounter a wide range of expectations and communication styles during consultations.

The study is based on focus group discussions with patients from major migrant communities in Belgium and with GPs. Our findings shed light on both patient and GP perspectives regarding preferences and challenges in MDM. The results reveal that experiences around decision-making are shaped by a complex interplay of factors at the individual, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural levels. Cultural perspectives—particularly regarding patient autonomy—play a key role in shaping how decisions are made in clinical encounters.

The study underscores the importance of adopting an intersectional and multilayered approach to MDM, and encourages GPs to consider how personal, cultural, and structural factors interact to shape individual experiences.

These insights are crucial for improving intercultural communication and promoting more equitable healthcare delivery in Belgium’s increasingly diverse society.

👉 Read and download the full article here!​

The protocol paper for the MEDIMIG project has been published. 

In this article, we present the protocol for our project and outline how our study explores the preferences of patients with a migration background and general practitioners regarding information disclosure and medical decision-making responsibilities. We detail how our project investigates ways to reconcile these preferences within the existing legal framework, with particular attention to cultural and legal complexities.   

We also highlight how our research adopts a multidisciplinary approach, combining expertise from health sciences, medical sociology, and health law. The study employs a mixed-methods design that integrates desk research, a factorial survey using hypothetical vignettes, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and the nominal group method.   

This publication marks an important milestone in bringing our project to the attention of the scientific community and will serve as a foundation for future publications.   

👉Read the full protocol here.​

Once again, we are happy to share a second EOS blog post as part of our MEDIMIG project. 

This time, MEDIMIG PhD researcher Amina Yakhlaf explores how cultural perceptions of illness and healthcare influence the behaviour of patients with a migration background. For example, in some communities, conditions like diabetes are misunderstood as "Western diseases," which can lead to delayed diagnoses and treatment. The article highlights how these beliefs affect trust in healthcare providers and the acceptance of medical advice. 

👉 Read the full blog post here. (Dutch only)​

We are pleased to share an EOS blog post from our MEDIMIG project, highlighting the role of cultural preferences in medical decision-making. 

In this article, MEDIMIG PhD candidate Amina Yakhlaf delves into the ethical dilemmas general practitioners (GPs) encounter when caring for patients with a migration background. These challenges are particularly pronounced in cases where language barriers and cultural differences influence communication and decision-making. For instance, how should a GP respond when family members, seeking to protect the patient, request that sensitive medical information, such as a cancer diagnosis, be withheld? 

Drawing on real-life examples from our research, the blog examines the delicate balance between the patient’s right to transparent information and their right not to know, as protected by patient rights laws. It also explores how cultural and familial dynamics shape these decisions and the implications for both patients and healthcare providers. 

👉Read the full blog post here. (Dutch only)

We are excited to announce that Marta Łotoczuk, PhD candidate of the MEDIMIG project, has won the Best Abstract Award at the Young Scholars Workshop during the 2024 Conference of the European Association of Health Law (EAHL), held at Warsaw University, Poland in September 2024. 

Marta's abstract, titled “Improving Medical Decision-Making within a Super-Diverse Society in Light of the Right to Culturally Appropriate Healthcare,” was selected by the review committee for its exceptional quality and its relevance to healthcare in Europe. The committee praised the originality of the research and its focus on a highly significant topic. As part of her award, Marta receives a certificate, a 500 Euro prize, a one-year membership waiver for the European Association of Health Law, and a free subscription to the European Journal of Health Law. 

We congratulate Marta on this achievement and look forward to seeing her continue her trajectory in the MEDIMIG-project!