The Syndicate of Naturopathic Professionals (SPN) calls on the state on Friday to regulate the profession, at a time when it is criticized and tries to sort through its ranks between real practitioners and charlatans.
The union, which claims 3300 members out of 6500 naturopaths listed in France, asks the State to “
act quickly to have the profession recognized
”, with in particular the implementation of “
certified titles
”, according to a press release.
"Cleaning to do"
“
There is some housework to do, that's obvious.
We have already alerted to training organizations that are not exemplary enough on the ethics of our profession
, ”underlines Alexandra Attalauziti, the president of the SPN, quoted in the press release.
“
We want to regulate, organize, skim, it's an emergency.
We must work together with the competent authorities so that naturopathy is recognized as a practice of prevention, complementary to our medicine
,” adds Alexandra Attalauziti.
The request comes in a delicate context for the profession, some representatives of which are accused of dangerous practices, close to charlatanism or sectarian aberrations.
Critics have particularly targeted in recent months naturopaths claiming to be Thierry Casasnovas and Irène Grosjean, two influential personalities in the field but with discredited positions in the world of health.
The controversy reached this summer the French heavyweight of medical appointments, the Doctolib group.
Accused of referencing naturopaths with questionable practices, the group announced at the end of October "
to refocus exclusively
" on caregivers "
referenced by the authorities
", pushing towards the exit nearly 6,000 "
wellness practitioners
".
Read alsoNaturopaths, acupuncturists… Doctolib hunts down pseudo-therapists
The bad publicity does not seem to want to stop: a 58-year-old man presenting himself as a “
naturopath
” and his son were indicted on Thursday after several deaths which occurred following prolonged fasts which they had organized during “
hydric cures
” , announced the parquet floor of Tours.
"
It is essential that the French are better informed about the significant risks they incur for their health when they participate in this kind of internship supervised by charlatans
", reacted Friday in a press release the Secretary of State for Citizenship. , Sonia Backès, recalling that meetings would be held in the spring to give “
the State the means to fight against these new forms of sectarian aberrations
”.
“
Professionals who use a divisive discourse with medicine and who, under the guise of natural remedies, put the lives of their clients in danger continue to practice with complete impunity.
These people are in no way naturopaths because they do not respect the ethics of our profession
, ”protests the SPN.
