the invention relates to water - insoluble , bacteriophobic and optionally cell proliferation - inhibiting polymers obtainable by free - radical polymerization of at least one monomer of the general formula r — a , in which r is an aliphatically unsaturated organic radical with the valence a , a is a carboxyl group — cooh , sulfuric acid group — oso 2 oh , sulfonic acid group — so 3 h , phosphoric acid group — opo 2 , phosphonic acid group — po 2 , phosphorous acid group — op 2 , a phenolic hydroxyl group or a salt of one of the groups , and a is 1 , 2 or 3 , with the proviso that , if the monomer of the formula i contains a carboxyl group — cooh or a carboxylate group , either this monomer contains at least one further radical a having a different one of the definitions specified for a , or at least one further monomer of the formula i is also used in which a has a different one of the definitions specified for a ; and at least one other aliphatically unsaturated monomer , wherein the polymers are useful for forming bacteriophobic or cell proliferation - inhibiting articles .