Statut des ostéopathes

In France, a specific diploma delivered by an institution approved by the Health Ministry in compliance with curriculum requirements promulgated by decree is necessary to use the title of osteopath. This professional regulation was only recently instituted and has not really satisfied the demands of the concerned professions including medical doctors, physical therapists, and exclusively osteopathy practitioners. The problem of the exact definition of osteopathy and its practice remains a problem. The current regulatory decree authorizes certain practices after a prior examination by a medical doctor. Whether patients are aware of the subtle difference between osteopathy as practiced by a medical doctor, a physical therapist or a person who has neither of these titles, and thus not submitted to the corresponding controls, remains an open question.