[Preventive action potential of the primary care physician]

Until now, general practitioners have not integrated prevention as an important component of their work. There is a need to sensitize them to a preventive outlook. The family physician is in a privileged position for such activity, as he maintains a lasting relationship with his patients and knows their environment. He has a pedagogical role, to be accepted and fulfilled, especially in providing the necessary reference and support for the patient to envisage a behavior change. Examples are given of practical situations where such a role is important: overweight, smoking, gynecological screening and a community-wide health education campaign. The author proposes also a self evaluation questionnaire, which practitioners or sickness funds could periodically hand out.