The Chiropractic CHOICE
Vol. 2 - N. 5 
October 2003

The State of Chiropractic in Italy

There are probably as many as 300 Doctors of Chiropractic presently practicing in Italy. Something more than 10% are Italian, the majority is European and a good number are from North American origin.

The first confirmed chiropractic activity was seen in northeastern Italy in the late 40’s. In the early 1970’s there were a mere handful of DCs in the country. During the 80’s chiropractic enjoyed good growth, services delivered by chiropractors were also included in the vast and all comprehensive national health care system. Favorable mass media coverage enhanced the image of the profession.

Chiropractors presently work within medically directed facilities (in the case of services provided for the national health care scheme), or privately in collaboration with medical doctors, or in solo practice with the ever-existent risk of arrest for the practice of medicine.

The profession is not recognized by legislation, nor is the title of chiropractic protected by law, however it is not against the law to practice chiropractic as a trade. This void, together with the fame of chiropractic, has led many persons to profit and crowd themselves under the chiropractic umbrella.

• Manipulators who openly express that they have no formal training call themselves chiropractors
• Physiotherapists call their mobilizations, chiropractic treatment
• There are persons in possession of the title of “Doctor of Chiropractic” obtained through diploma mills who are active, also politically
• Medical manipulators who profess knowledge in chiropractic
• Chiropractors are muddled with osteopaths, who come from varied schools of training

The National Federation of Medical Doctors, Surgeons and Dentists (the Italian equivalent to the American Medical Association which, in this case, also includes dentistry) determined that chiropractic and eight alternative medicines are to be considered as “acts of medicine” and can therefore be practiced only be members of their Federation. They also called for a ban on the practice of chiropractic by Doctors of Chiropractic. This Federation numbers three hundred thousand and as in all parts of the world, are a powerful lobby in political affairs.

Since then, Parliament has been active in deriving legislation on non-conventional medicine which will also concern chiropractic. And even though the Associazione Italiana Chiropratici has constantly sought chiropractic legislation over the last ten years, only now are AIC proposals being considered. As an Association, the AIC only numbers 160 members but has proven somewhat able to defend the profession.  However, in a country of internationally renowned injustices, it’s hard to say how things are going to work out.