[1980-1991 evaluation of naturopathy practitioners in the Detmold presidential administration--inventory and...

In Germany two professional groups may apply medical science to human beings: physicians and "Heilpraktiker" (naturopaths). However, no regulations exist regarding training, examination and continuation of studies of "Heilpraktiker". They only have to be checked on the basis of the Heilpraktiker low intended to exclude a danger to health of the people. In North Rhine Westphalia each of the 54 public health offices effects this checking on its own responsibility. The present analysis shows that in the Detmold administration district the checking by the individual public health offices differs greatly from one another. There are offices where most applicants fail and others where nearly all of the applicants pass. In addition the passing rate shows considerable regional and temporal differences. It can also be taken from the data that public health offices with a high passing rate not only carry out many checking cases but that they receive applicants residing outside the area of responsibility of the checking public health office ("checking tourism"). Rapid implementation of the "Federal Guide on the Checking of Heilpraktiker Applicants" is recommended for the Land of North Rhine Westphalia as this procedure would be fairer for the applicant and less expensive for the citizens.