Dermatology and medical law: the effect of legal issues on the treatment of patients in dermatological practices in southern Germany.

Background: Usage of modern therapies in the treatment of chronic dermatological diseases has proven to be effective but associated with high costs. High therapy costs might raise legal issues and even lead to recourse claims.

Objectives: To evaluate dermatologists’ interests and knowledge in medical law and the occurrence of recourse claims, and to assess the impact of medical law on clinical practice.