Heilpraktiker


Heilpraktiker is a naturopathic profession in Germany. It is recognized as an alternative and complementary health care profession by German law.

Profession in Germany

Heilpraktiker, or non-medical healing practitioner, is recognized as an alternative and complementary health care profession by German law. A heilpraktiker does not need to have any formal education or training but must do an exam at the health authorities. This exam used to be somewhat basic until the 1980s, at which time it was made to become much more demanding. A candidate needs to have good knowledge of medical sciences, such as anatomy, physiology and pathology and psychiatry; a good knowledge of law regulations is also needed. Healing practitioners often specialize in a complementary and alternative field of healthcare that could be anything from faith healing, homeopathy, phytotherapy, Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, to reflexology or acupuncture. A healing practitioner is a person who is allowed to practice as a non-medical practitioner using any unconventional therapy.

History

The profession of heilpraktiker is based on healing therapies beginning in the Middle Ages. The lîbarzet Jörg Radendorfer from Vienna received around 1496 rights in Frankfurt that were otherwise restricted to academic physicians, which were withdrawn in 1499 after protests of doctors and pharmacists, and the death of a patient. He then worked in Nürnberg from 1500 to around 1503.
After the First World War, the healing practitioners began to organise. They formed an association "Verband der Heilkundigen Deutschlands" in Essen in 1920, which was renamed "Großverband der Heilpraktiker Deutschlands", or short: Heilpraktikergesetz.

Organisation

According to the Statistisches Bundesamt, 45.000 heilpraktier were accredited in Germany in 2017. They are organised in several associations which represent the interests of the profession and offer education and services. Several associations run schools.
They collaborate in the organisation Die Deutschen Heilpraktikerverbände. Beginning in 2011, five associations have collaborated in the umbrella organisation Dachverband Deutscher Heilpraktikerverbände. The central organisation has published a magazine Volksheilkunde.